Let It Burn
by Faberrittanainthetardis
Summary: Finally got around to posting this here! Part of my 'Heroes AU' headcanons/series on Tumblr. An inconceivable tragedy in the future leads a 20 year old Honoka to go back to the past to when she was 16. This fic assumes all of Muse knows about each others abilities. There's a list of abilities at the start of chapter one. Multiship.
1. Chapter 1

Finally got around to posting this here! Part of my 'Heroes AU' headcanons/series on Tumblr. An inconceivable tragedy in the future leads a 20 year old Honoka to go back to the past to when she was 16. Set after 'Cold' but I'll be writing fics set between that and this one. So the series isn't really in order. This fic assumes all of Muse knows about each others abilities. There's a list of abilities at the start of chapter one.

Warning(s): Major character death. Like a lot of character death in here. Kind of self-injury so don't read if it'll trigger?

List of abilities:  
Honoka - Time/Space manipulation.  
Umi - Hyperkinetic.  
Kotori - Invisibility.  
Eli - Pyrokinetic (blue flames)  
Nozomi - Empathy.  
Nico - rapid cell regeneration  
Maki - Telepathy  
Hanayo - Phasing.  
Rin - Super speed.  
Yukiho - Hydrokinetic.  
Arisa - Ability to find other ability users.  
Anju - Transformation.  
Erena - Controls shadows.  
Tsubasa - Can take other people's abilities by killing them or studying their brain.

Aqours don't join for a while but theirs will be:

Chika - Ability to learn other people's abilities by watching them being used (she can know up to 4 abilities at the same time)  
Riko - Ability to clone herself.  
You - Super Strength.  
Mari - Puppeteer (ability to control other peoples' body parts/limbs).  
Kanan- Hydrokinetic. A more powerful version of Yukiho basically.  
Dia - Enhanced memory.  
Ruby - Sonic waves.  
Hanamura - Absorbing solids - like she touches metal and her skin turns metal.  
Yoshiko - Illusionist.

CHAPTER ONE

Honoka squinted against the sunlight, the blinding glare a harsh contrast to the darkness she'd been surrounded by just a moment ago. She lifted her hand into the air to block the sun and glanced around, blinking against the halos of light still clouding her vision. It took her a moment to figure out where she was but when she did she inhaled sharply. The school roof. It had been a long time since she'd been there but she remembered it vividly. She wasn't sure she would ever be able to forget it. How far had she gone back exactly? She hadn't been able to use her power properly when she'd tried to go back. There was no telling how long ago it was.

Her knees weakened suddenly and she stumbled forward, barely able to catch herself against the railings. Her head throbbed with pain and she winced, lifting a hand to her head. Even now the headaches she got when travelling far were excruciating. That hadn't changed since she was a teenager. Forcing herself to use her power had only worsened the effect. She felt a strange wetness on her hand and pulled it back to stare at it. Blood. Of course. She had been hit at one point during the fight. It mixed with the already dried blood coating her skin and clothes.

Memories of being trapped in the class with A-Rise hit her hard, causing bile to rush to her throat. Her friends were all dead, because of her. Except Nico, of course. Honoka had merely abandoned her, left her behind in the future while she fled to the past. One by one, images of her friends being cut down flashed through her mind. Rin, Hanayo, Kotori, Umi, Eli, Nozomi and finally Maki. They were all dead because of her, the supposed leader of the team. She was supposed to protect them and yet they had died protecting her.

She felt a sharp pain in her knees as they finally connected with the solid ground. She felt something wet spilling from her eyes though she knew it wasn't blood this time. Before she knew it, she was sobbing in earnest. She couldn't remember the last time she had allowed herself to give into emotion like this. Maybe when Alisa had died, after she had watched Eli fall apart in front of her, clutching her sister's dead body to her chest. Maybe after that, when she'd had to tell Yukiho about it. She couldn't remember. Either way it had been a long time ago.

" _Honoka…" Maki's lifeless hand hit the floor as Nico finally stood up from her position on the ground. She was soaked with blood, both her own and Maki's. It covered her clothes, her hands, her arms, even her face from when she'd tried to wipe her tears away. The attempt had proved pointless and the salty liquid had merely created tracks through the drying blood. "Go back! You have to fix this!"_

" _B-but you…"_

" _JUST GO!"_

She heard an anguished scream echo around her but she didn't recognize it as her own, even when her throat burned in the wake of it. She wept into her folded arms, her shoulders shuddering with the force of it.

—

 _1 hour earlier/4 years in the future._

She wasn't sure how long she had been tied up. She had woken up to a dull pain in the back of her head, obviously an effect of whatever her kidnapper had drugged her with. She vaguely remembered something being placed over her mouth, then the taste of fumes followed by…nothing at all. Trying to use her powers proved useless. She couldn't so much as transport herself across the room. She was stuck right where she was.

As she stared into the dimly lit room, she silently prayed that her friends wouldn't follow her. They would know that it was a trap. They had been doing this for a long time, they wouldn't just walk into the abandoned school without thinking it through first. The niggling fear that they would do just that played on her mind. Eli, especially, would think nothing of putting her own life in danger. It had been that way since Alisa had died. She just didn't seem to care any more. Not even Nozomi would be able to talk her out of it.

Honoka wasn't sure how long passed before she heard the door at the far end of the room slam open, light spilling into the room. She blinked against it, making out several figures standing in the doorway. Her heart seized with panic. Those idiots. They knew it was a trap and yet they'd still come for her.

"No…" She mumbled weakly, struggling against the ropes that bound her hands together behind her back. She tried to push herself away from the wall she was leaning back against but only succeeded in sending herself crashing face first to the floor. It seemed as though the sound caught the attention of the rest of the team as she heard footsteps coming toward her. Soon enough she found herself being pushed into a sitting position and a moment later, warm hands were pressed to her cheeks. It took her a moment to focus on the concerned amber eyes staring back at her. "K-Kotori, y…"

"Shhh." Kotori shushed Honoka gently, pushing her hair back from her face. She frowned at the sight of the fresh cut on her best friend's forehead and moved to untie her.

Honoka let out a gasp as Kotori let go of her suddenly. She tilted forward but she merely fell against the soft body in front of her. As she felt fingers picking at the rope that bound her hands, she spoke up in a whisper, her mouth near Kotori's ear. "It's a trap."

"We know that." Eli's voice sounded from her left, causing Honoka to turn her head toward the sound. The older girl was standing near her, her hand engulfed in fire. The flames lit up her face, her blue eyes glimmering as she looked to Honoka. "Did you really think that would keep us away?"

"It should have! You…" Honoka's gaze focused on something beyond Eli. The team had scattered around the room, Maki and Nico moving in one direction while Hanayo and Rin had moved the opposite way. Nozomi was still standing near the door. That wasn't what she was concerned with though. It was almost as though the shadows were rippling, moving of their own accord. She'd seen that before. An arrow shaped shadow shot suddenly from the dark corner toward Rin and Hanayo. Honoka instinctively tried to stop it in it's tracks, forgetting that she couldn't use her powers given her weakened condition. Her heart leapt in her chest and she opened her mouth to desperately call out just as the arrow struck Rin in the back.

Hanayo let out a startled scream as Rin was sent flying through the air, landing on the ground with a sickening thud. She lay there after, unmoving as blood pooled beneath her.

"R-RIN-CHAN!"

Kotori stood up quickly, taking up a more defensive position in front of Honoka. She felt Eli move to her side, her hand lifted as she prepared to attack.

Honoka tried to get to her feet too but failed each time. All she could do was watch as Hanayo took off running toward Rin's body. An icy chill of fear ran down her spine. Even from her position on the floor it was obvious that there was no hope for Rin. "No…" She mumbled as she watched another arrow head straight toward Hanayo. She could phase through almost anything, even bullets but there was no way she could phase through a shadow. She watched as Hanayo ducked to the left, narrowly dodging the arrow so she could reach Rin.

"Rin-chan!" Hanayo slipped her arms under Rin's and pulled her up with some difficulty. Rin was a dead weight in her arms but she finally managed to get a good hold on her. She glanced toward her friends before she squeezed her eyes shut.

Honoka realized what Hanayo was planning to do as her feet disappeared into the floor along with Rin's. She was trying to get Rin out of there, even if she had to go through the floor to do it. Before she could get any further, a shadow struck her in the chest, sending her flying in much the same fashion as Rin had a moment ago.

"NO!" Honoka glanced across the room to see Nico trying to hold a struggling Maki back from Rin and Hanayo. She was surprised the smaller girl was managing it. Though Nico had grown over the years and had gotten much stronger, she was still shorter than Maki. "LET GO OF ME! HANAYO! RIN!"

Honoka looked back to Hanayo and Rin, barely able to take in the sight of them lying close together on the ground. There was so much blood. "T-This can't be happening." She grabbed Kotori's arm and dragged herself to her feet though she was barely able to stay standing.

"Nozomi!" Eli called loudly, noticing movement out of the corner of her eye. She stepped back, positioning herself closer to Honoka. She couldn't look in the direction of Hanayo and Rin so she didn't notice Nozomi moving over there.

"I know, Elichi." Nozomi was careful as she inched toward Rin and Hanayo. She knelt down beside them and with shaking hands, checked for any signs of life. There was no pulse, no unsteady intake of breath. They were dead. She closed her eyes at the realization, the corners of them stinging with oncoming tears. "T-they're gone."

"Of course they are." A new voice sounded, echoing around the room. The group looked up upon hearing the sound. Even Maki who had dropped to her knees in tears was distracted by it. A moment later two figures stepped out of the shadows, matching smirks on their faces.

"You!" Eli hissed at Erena, almost taking a step forward before she remembered that Honoka was behind her. She knew that power. She would recognize it anywhere. "You did this!"

"We're not done yet, Ayase Eli." Anju said, her smile turning somewhat innocent as she lifted the gun in her hand. She stepped forward, aiming it toward Kotori and laughed as the girl tensed. "Minami Kotori. I wanted the pleasure of killing you myself."

Honoka clutched Kotori's arm, pulling her back slightly. It didn't escape her notice that while Kotori looked afraid, she didn't turn invisible. "Run!"

Kotori didn't move as she stared down the barrel of the gun. She could use her power to turn invisible. She could even turn Honoka with her as her friend was still clutching her tightly. She could probably get them both away but that would mean leaving the rest of her friends behind. She didn't hear the sound of footsteps rushing toward her. "Anju…" She trailed off when the A-Rise member squeezed the trigger and instinctively threw her arms up to protect herself.

"Like hell!" Eli threw herself in front of Kotori, blue flames engulfing her body from head to toe. She hit the first bullet away with her flaming fist, barely feeling the pain of the bullet grazing her knuckles. The other was propelled through the air by the flames surrounding her body.

Anju looked surprise by Eli's bold move but she continued to fire, each of the bullets being batted away by Eli as if they were annoying flies. She had figured she would gain the attention of one of the older members of Muse by attacking the younger members.

Erena stayed where she was, making no move to put out Eli's flames. She knew exactly what Anju and Tsubasa had planned and had no desire to interfere. Indeed, a moment later she saw a blur in the air as Tsubasa used the speed she had picked up earlier to move toward Kotori and Honoka.

A sharp pain in her side caused Kotori to glance down. She wasn't quite able to comprehend the image of the knife protruding from her side and for a moment she could merely stare at it. She looked up again, finding Tsubasa standing next to her, her hands bloodied.

"Kotori!" Honoka grabbed Kotori just before the girl crumbled to the ground. In her weakened state she couldn't keep Kotori standing and she sank to the ground with her. "No, no, no…Nico! NICO!"

Nico didn't so much as glance in Honoka's direction as Anju had turned her attention toward her and Maki and she was currently trying to shoot past her at Maki. She was doing her best to shield Maki with her body, taking the bullets for her but she wasn't sure how long she could keep it up, even with her power. Maki had already been hit in the leg and was on her knees behind her.

Too late, Honoka remembered the vials of blood Nico had given them before they'd gone into battle. She hurriedly searched Kotori's pockets for the vial, finding it after a moment.

"Honoka-ch…" Kotori couldn't finish what she was saying as she choked on the blood in her throat. "H-H…"

"It's okay, Kotori-chan. You're going to be fine." Honoka desperately pushed up Kotori's shirt to expose the bullet hole in her abdomen. Her hands shook as she uncorked the vial and poured the red liquid into the wound. She waited impatiently for it to heal but to no avail. It didn't make sense. Nico's blood could heal any wound. That was why she'd given it to them. "I-I don't understand…"

"H-Hono…" Kotori weakly reached for Honoka's hand but her blurred vision made it impossible to grab it.

Honoka looked up as she felt Kotori's fingers brush weakly against her own. The sight of blood streaking from the corner of Kotori's lips coupled with the tears that had welled in her eyes made her want to cry herself. She grabbed Kotori's hand in her own, ignoring the fight around her. She could hear gunshots, Maki screaming desperately at Nico, Eli trying to get Anju's attention back, but she couldn't focus on anything besides her best friend. The other hand, bloody from Kotori's wound moved to the top of her friend's head as she leaned over her.

"Kotori." Honoka's voice came out harsher than she had intended as she stared into Kotori's unfocused eyes. "Don't you dare die. If you do…" She trailed off helplessly. It wasn't a threat. She knew she would fall apart without Kotori. She'd already lost Umi, she couldn't lose another of her best friends.

Kotori used her remaining strength to reach up and grip the collar of Honoka's jacket, pulling her down. Their foreheads collided awkwardly but neither paid attention to it. With their bodies closer together now, Honoka could feel Kotori trembling beneath her.

"I-I…" Kotori struggled to speak despite her throat being mostly clear of blood now. "I love you…and….Umi…tell…" She trailed off and turned her head, coughing up more blood. Honoka felt a splatter of it hit her cheek but she couldn't care. The sound of hurried footsteps caught her attention but she didn't look up. Tsubasa could kill her if she wanted to. It hardly mattered.

"Please…" Honoka felt the corners of her eyes sting with tears despite her best efforts to force them back. The idea of Kotori dying was incomprehensible. Her best friend had been the only constant in her life. She felt Kotori's grip loosen on her collar and reached up to grasp her hand, forcing her grip to tighten. "Don't…" The footsteps were practically on top of her now and she closed her eyes, preparing for the pain that would follow. All she felt was a slight jolt as someone dropped to their knees beside her, knocking into her shoulder.

"Umi…" The name left Kotori's lips as a weak yet content sigh and Honoka's eyes snapped open. Umi? She couldn't be there. She had betrayed them. A slight glance to her left assured her that Kotori wasn't delusional from the pain. Umi was kneeling next to her, wearing the most pained expression Honoka had ever seen on her.

"I'm right here." Umi's voice was choked as though she was near tears herself. She placed her hand gently on top of Kotori's head as Honoka was desperately gripping her hands. "Stay with us, Kotori. It's going to be okay. I promise."

A choked whimper escaped Kotori's throat though a smile lingered on her lips as she looked up at her two best friends. She'd never thought she'd see them together again, at least not for a long time. Slowly, her eyes began to close as black filtered into her vision.

"Kotori-chan!" Honoka cried out, gripping Kotori tighter than before. She called her name again and again but Kotori-chan was still. "No…" She leaned down, turning her head to press her ear to Kotori's chest. Nothing. It didn't rise and fall as it had been previously. "Kotori!"

Umi trembled as she stared down at her lifeless friend. If only she'd gotten there a few minutes earlier. She could have stopped this. "Hono-" She was cut off by a force pushing her to the side. She toppled over but scrambled to her feet a moment later, positioning herself in front of Honoka. She reached up, unsheathing her katana and held it protectively in front of her. She noticed Eli standing near Honoka's other side but she didn't see anyone else. She gasped as she felt something slash at her back. She almost feared it was Honoka as she turned around but she found her friend still on her knees, her face buried in Kotori's chest. Realization hit her suddenly, bringing with it a fiery rage. Tsubasa. She swung her sword in a wide arc, slashing at the space around her.

"How dare you!" She growled furiously, angry tears filling her eyes. That Tsubasa had taken Kotori's power and was using it against them enraged her. She knew that Kotori would have been heartbroken over her ability being used in such a way. She would never hurt her friends. She'd rather die. She felt a rush of satisfaction at the feeling of her sword cutting through flesh. If she couldn't save Kotori, she would surely avenge her. She continued to slash away at the space surrounding her but she didn't manage to land another blow.

Honoka was mostly unaware of the fight around her as she gripped Kotori's body tightly to her. It was a nightmare. It had to be. She'd had many of the same kind over the past few years. Nightmares in which she'd had to watch her friends being tortured and killed. She couldn't wake up from this one though.

A few minutes passed before she heard the sound of something hitting the ground next to her. She glanced up, her eyes widening at the sight of Umi on her knees. She was clutching her throat, her eyes wide in surprise. Blood seeped from between her fingers and her katana lay on the floor next to her.

"U-Umi…" Honoka watched in horror as Umi fell to the ground next to Kotori, gasping for breath. "No…No!" She scrambled over Kotori's body to Umi, clutching her friends hands to draw them away from the wound. She could fix it, she still had her own vial of Nico's blood. She was stopped by the sight of glassy eyes staring back at her. She was already dead. How could this be happening? Even after everything Honoka had seen, this was too horrible.

"Honoka, move!"

Honoka didn't have time to look up before she was tackled to the side. She hit the ground hard, her breath escaping her as the person who'd pushed her landed heavily on top of her. She didn't have time to panic before she realized who it was. Though flames didn't surround her, Eli's skin was scorching to the touch. The older girl didn't linger on top of her for long. She got to her feet with her usual grace though Honoka couldn't think past the ache in her chest to admire it as she usually would.

Eli's fists clenched at her sides and with a low angered growl, her body was engulfed by flames once more. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Umi and Kotori. It was obvious they were dead. She glared at Erena, her eyes prickling with oncoming tears. First Hanayo and Rin then Kotori and Umi and now Erena was trying to kill Honoka. It was too much.

"I'll kill you." She snarled, her anger overtaking her. She pulled her hand back, preparing to throw a fireball toward the smirking A-Rise member. She had every intention of killing her in the most painful way possible.

"Oh?" Erena waved her hand in front of her, using her powers to put out Eli's flames. She gave a throaty laugh at the shocked look on Eli's face. That had been far too easy. A part of her had wanted to drag it out a bit more, to really torture the blonde. "I think you're the ones dying." She motioned toward Kotori and Umi's lifeless bodies on the ground. "It's just a matter of who's next." Her gaze shifted past Eli to Honoka who was standing on trembling legs. "I've been waiting so long to kill you, I'm not sure how I'd like to do it." She took a step forward, causing Eli to tense and reach behind her to pull Honoka close to her back. "Maybe I should kill you like I killed the mousy one over there. Piercing your heart with darkness seems fitting."

Eli let go of Honoka's wrist and focused intently, trying to ignite her flames again. "I won't let you touch her."

"Oh Eli." Erena lifted her fist and clenched it in front of her, focusing on the light of Eli's flames. They faded immediately but she wasn't finished yet. Eli had flames filtering through her, even moreso than when they had first met all those years ago. She focused on the mental image of those flames coursing through the blonde's body, imagining them fading to be replaced by her darkness.

"Eli-senpai!" Honoka gasped as Eli fell to her knees with a choked cry. She joined the blonde on the ground, gripping her arm tightly.

Eli could feel her power being forced out of her body, her energy being sapped away by the invading darkness. It was a pain unlike any she had ever felt before and she screamed out in agony, the sound echoing around the room.

"ELICHI!" Nozomi, who had been trying to inch toward Nozomi without being detected suddenly tried to hurry forward toward Eli, only to be shoved to the side by stopped by an invisible force. Even from across the room, she could see that Eli's usually blue eyes had blackened. Icy fear coursed through her and she struggled against the person holding her back. "NO. ELICHI!"

Erena laughed above the sound of Nozomi's desperate yelling. It amused her greatly to see them like this. So weak and helpless. She paused in her torment of Eli, turning her focus to Honoka. She was the real target. The real leader of Muse. Honoka was too focused on Eli to even notice that she was suddenly a target. That just made it so much easier. Mustering up her power, Erena summoned a shadow and sent it flying toward Honoka, aiming for her head. Her powers had grown so much that she hardly need any shadows to turn them into something fearfully offensive.

Honoka's eyes widened when Eli's body suddenly ignited again. For a split second, the sight of Eli's familiar flames comforted her but then the blonde had moved in front of her, her hand moving to the back of Honoka's head to draw it protectively against her shoulder. She felt Eli jolt, a pained gasp escaping her before she stilled. Her hand fell limply from the back of Honoka's head and she fell forward against her.

"ELICHI!"

Honoka didn't dare breathe for a moment as her arms numbly circled Eli. Her flames were out once again. She could hear Nozomi crying out for Eli but she didn't get an answer. That wasn't right. Eli always answered Nozomi. Slowly she drew back, looking Eli over. Her eyes were dead and unfocused, red covering the front of her shirt. On the opposite side to where she'd drawn Honoka to. She had known what was going to happen.

"No…" Honoka whispered, reaching up to touch Eli's pale cheek with a shaking hand. She couldn't be dead. She was the strongest of all of them. "E-Eli-senpai."

A sudden scream caught her attention and she looked up to see Nozomi finally shoving her way past Tsubasa. She ran over to them, falling to her knees next to Eli. She pushed Honoka away, taking Eli away from her.

"Elichi." Nozomi stared down at her girlfriend, tear steadily streaming down her cheeks. "Elichi, wake up. Wake up."

Honoka felt something in her hand and looked down, finding Eli's cross in her palm. She blinked at it in surprise. She had never seen Eli take it off. "S-She's gone." She could hardly bring herself to believe it. The person she looked up to most had died because of her. Instead of her. The agonized cry that escaped Nozomi caused her to flinch. She had never heard Nozomi sound so broken.

Nozomi held Eli close to her chest, sobbing brokenly against her. Eli had often told her that if Nozomi died she would lose herself completely. Her heart had been broken when Alisa had died but if she were to lose Nozomi she wouldn't have anything left. Her sanity would surely slip away. Nozomi had never said anything but she felt the same way. The only person she trusted completely, with every piece of her, was Eli. She didn't allow anyone else to see her vulnerable side, not even their friends. Eli was the wrong person she could depend on.

Honoka listened to the sound of Nozomi's cries, her gaze shifting around the room. Nico was crouched over Maki, a dagger in hand. She seemed to be cutting relentlessly at every inch of her own skin that she could. It took a moment but Honoka finally realized what must have happened. Maki was gone too. Nico was trying to bring her back using her own blood, even if it meant hurting herself to do so. The scent of blood filled the air and Honoka found herself gagging against the bile that rose in her throat.

A laugh filled the air and Nozomi's crying stopped suddenly in response. Honoka turned her attention toward the purple haired girl to find her lowering Eli gently to the ground. Her cheeks were tear stained but there was no mistaking the hatred on her face. It wasn't an expression Honoka had ever seen from the usually gentle Nozomi. She watched numbly as Nozomi rose to her feet and slowly turned on her heel to face Erena. She didn't say anything, she merely held her hand out, palm up. A moment later Erena cried out in pain and sank to the ground, clutching her chest.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Nozomi walked forward toward Erena, doing nothing to block out the emotional pain she felt. She took in Honoka's and Nico's too. She could feel Honoka's heartache at having lost Eli, Kotori and Umi and the others, Nico's at having lost Maki. Somehow it didn't add up to the pain she felt over losing Eli. She poured it into Erena, taking satisfaction in the agonized screams she could hear from her. She took it one step further, seeking out the physical pain Nico was inflicting upon herself. She fell to her own knees, lightheaded as her body throbbed in agony. Oblivious, Nico continued to cut relentlessly, trying to heal Maki with her blood. It wouldn't work. They both knew that and yet she continued to try. Nozomi understood completely. Nico felt about Maki the way she felt about Eli. She couldn't lose her.

"Erena!" Tsubasa's voice sounded strangely panicked to Honoka's ears. She watched in a daze as Tsubasa began to hurry toward Nozomi.

"Stop!" Anju held her hand out, stopping Tsbuasa in her tracks. Nico was no threat to them now. She was too focused on healing Maki. "I'll deal with this." She flashed Tsubasa a coy smirk before she closed her eyes, concentrating on changing her form.

Honoka's eyes widened in surprise as she watched Anju change her appearance. "No." She muttered, shaking her head. Anything but that. She felt sick as she watched Tsbuasa chuckle and hand over the dagger she'd used on Umi. "No! Nozomi! Nozomi, don't listen to her!"

Nozomi wasn't paying attention. She was too focused on making Erena feel every bit of pain she felt. She could feel herself weakening with every second that passed but she pressed on. That is until she felt a hand come to rest on her arm.

"Nozomi, stop."

She froze at the sound of the familiar voice, her attention straying from Erena. "E-Elichi?" She turned her head toward the person next to her and gasped sharply at the sight of Eli. Her tears started afresh and she threw herself into Eli, embracing her tightly. "I thought…I thought…"

"Shhh." 'Eli' hushed Nozomi gently, her hand gently coming to rest on the back of Nozomi's head. "It's alright. I'm right here." She cast a smirk toward Tsubasa who looked on in amusement. After a moment she felt Nozomi begin to pull away and forced herself to look sincere.

"Nozomi." She reached up, placing a hand on Nozomi's cheek. She watched in satisfaction as Nozomi leaned into the carress. How touching. Even after seeing Eli die, Nozomi was choosing to believe that she was still alive. She gripped the knife in her free hand and thrust it forward into Nozomi's stomach.

Nozomi's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden pain. "E-Elichi…" She gripped Eli's shirt tightly, trying to comprehend what her girlfriend was doing. No. Not her girlfriend. Eli wouldn't. Eli would rather plunge a dagger into her own chest than do this to her. "No…Anju."

Anju laughed darkly and pushed the knife deeper. Warm blood coated her hand. "You caught onto me. I think this look is more fitting right now though, don't you? Who else would you want to be the last person you see before you die?"

Honoka could only watch numbly as Nozomi fell limp in Eli's…no, Anju's hold. She felt numb as Anju pushed Nozomi's lifeless body to the floor and stood up, turning back into herself.

Nico finally looked up as silence filled the room. She took in the sight of her friend's dead bodies and inhaled sharply. She had been so focused on Maki that she hadn't noticed. She could have helped. She could have done something. She felt the last of her wounds healing as she cradled Maki's body to her. It was pointless. Maki wasn't coming back. She watched as Erena got to her feet with Anju's help. Honoka was on her knees on the floor, apparently unable to move. Had she watched their friends die, one by one? The thought made Nico feel sick with guilt. She should have done something.

"Honoka…" Maki's lifeless hand hit the floor as Nico finally stood up from her position on the ground. She was soaked with blood, both her own and Maki's. It covered her clothes, her hands, her arms, even her face from when she'd tried to wipe her tears away. The attempt had proved pointless and the salty liquid had merely created tracks through the drying blood. "Go back! You have to fix this!"

Honoka looked up, her brow furrowing. She wasn't even sure she could. "B-but you…"

"JUST GO!" Nico charged toward where Honoka was crouching and grabbed Umi's sword. "Get the hell out of here!"

Honoka squeezed her eyes shut despite her uncertainty and focused on going back. She couldn't live in a world where her friends were dead. She knew Nico couldn't either. Pain shot through her head but she ignored it. She had to fix this.

—

Honoka wasn't sure how long she lay there, weeping into her arms but eventually her tears dried up. She clenched her fist around Eli's necklace and took a shuddering breath. They were gone. Her friends were gone but she could save them. In a way, she could. She got to her feet and with shaking hands, reached up to put on the precious necklace she'd been given. The last piece of her friend. She would fix this. She had to.

TBC.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews, hope you all enjoy this chapter! :)**

An unnerved shiver ran down Eli's spin for the fifth time in as many minutes. She and Nozomi were halfway to the small restaurant where they usually went for parfaits but she hadn't been able to shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

Nozomi, upon noticing Eli's unsettled distraction, playfully bumped into her side. Eli hadn't been truly listening to her for the past few minutes, it seemed. "What's wrong, Elichi? Am I boring you?"

Eli turned back to Nozomi, quickly shaking her head. "N-No, it's nothing like that. I just…" She glanced around and lowered her voice slightly. "I feel like we're being followed."

Nozomi's brow furrowed in concern. Eli had good instincts. She didn't have Maki's power to read minds but she was hardly ever wrong. She paused, a hand on Eli's arm to keep her from going any further. "Let me check."

Eli watched as Nozomi closed her eyes and focused intently, obviously using her power to feel for anything suspicious. She watched in concern as Nozomi inhaled sharply through her nose, her eyes flying open. Quickly, she stepped forward and placed a hand on her girlfriend's waist in case she buckled.

"Honoka-chan." Nozomi said quietly, trying to push aside the anguish she'd been overwhelmed with a moment ago. "She's hurt."

"What?!" Eli's eyes widened in panic and she looked around, trying to find any sign of their friend. Wherever Honoka was, she wasn't in sight. "How hurt? We have to find her, Nozomi!"

Nozomi gripped Eli's arms tightly to keep her from dashing off. She knew Eli had a soft spot for the girl who looked up to her but she couldn't let her rush in without knowing everything. "Not just physically, she's hurting emotionally. I've never felt anything like it." Something must have happened with Umi or Kotori. Maybe they'd gotten into a fight. She could only hope it was something so trivial. "Something isn't right with her. She doesn't feel like Honoka-chan."

Eli stared at Nozomi in confusion for a moment before she pulled away from her. "I can't just leave her. Come on, help me find her."

Future Honoka closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall behind her, having easily heard the discussion. She'd been following Eli for a few days now, ever since she had gone back in time. She needed to speak to her, to all of them, but she'd needed a few days to compose herself first.

She wasn't entirely sure why she'd chosen to go to Eli out of all of them. She'd considered going to Nico but she wasn't sure the idol obsessed girl would believe what she had to say. Kotori would have believed her but she hadn't wanted to risk bumping into Umi and her past self just yet. Maybe it was because Eli and Nozomi had always been the parental figures of the group. Since meeting her, she'd looked up to Eli more than anyone else.

She closed her hand around Eli's cross around her neck and took a deep breath to brace herself. She knew it would hurt to speak to them again but she couldn't give into it. She tucked the cross beneath her hoodie and focused on her power. A second later she appeared in front of Eli and Nozomi, causing them to skid to a stop.

"Eli-senp…" Future Honoka choked on her words. This wasn't her Eli, not really. She swallowed thickly and tried again. "Eli."

If Nozomi's tight grip on her hand didn't keep Eli still, the appearance of Honoka in front of them certainly did. Something was off about her. She looked taller than the last time they'd seen her and her clothes just weren't right. Was it possible for her to have changed so much despite them having seen her only a few hours ago? She was wearing black, from the jeans she was wearing to the hoodie she'd adorned. "Honoka?"

Future Honoka pushed her hood back down, finally allowing Eli and Nozomi to get a good look at her. "I need your help."

—

Honoka tried not to shift uncomfortably under the weight of the stares directed at her. She felt like she was diving into the situation headfirst but maybe it was easier that way. She awkwardly cleared her throat as the seconds ticked by. They'd gathered in Nozomi's apartment yet nothing had really been said, besides that Honoka was from the future.

"Your hair is longer." Kotori noted thoughtfully, drawing Future Honoka's attention toward her. She blushed at the look and sheepishly shrugged her shoulders. "It…it suits you."

"Thanks." Honoka said, her voice slightly raspier than usual. It was hard not to let her emotions get the better of her as she stared at her best friend. It seemed only moments ago that she had watched her die right in front of her. Almost self-consciously, she reached up, her fingers raking through her hair. She'd long since stopped wearing a side ponytail and now let it hang around her shoulders. She'd taken to running her fingers through it in stressful situations, leaving it a bit tousled.

Umi shifted uncomfortable, barely able to take her eyes off the woman in front of her. She looked like Honoka and yet she looked so different at the same time. She was taller, not to mention more mature looking. Against her will, her heartbeat picked up as she continued to stare. She inwardly cursed herself for it. Now was hardly the time.

"So…you're from the future?" She finally managed to speak up, realizing that nobody else was going to. "Why did you come back here?"

Future Honoka looked away from Kotori, the warmth of her stare disappearing completely when she looked at Umi. "I told Eli I need your help but that's not quite true. You all need mine."

"Why would we need your help?" Nico questioned from her spot near Maki. "We can take care of ourselves."

Future Honoka scoffed at that. Clearly that wasn't true. She took a moment to look over Nico, taking note of the differences. It took her by surprise that Nico still wore her hair up but she quickly realized that hadn't changed until graduation, when Nico had decided to leave her school idol days behind. "In four years time you're all going to be killed. Where I'm from you're all…" Her voice broke and she took a moment to recover. Not a moment passed when she didn't think of her friends and their deaths. She'd watched them all, save for Maki's. "My friends are all dead."

"What?" Hanayo gasped, leaning forward in surprise. She automatically reached for Rin's hand and squeezed it tightly. "That can't be right. We…what happened?"

"I was kidnapped by A-rise and you all came to save me." Future Honoka's voice was laced with anger. They shouldn't have done it. They should have just left her there. "It was stupid and reckless. And you all paid with your lives."

"You expected us to leave you?" Eli spoke, visibly shaken by the news that they would die in just four years. "We would never leave our Honoka behind."

Future Honoka clenched her jaw, struggling not to make a cutting remark about Eli's comment. They were all so young and naeve. They had no idea what they were talking about. "You should. She's not worth your lives. I'm not."

Honoka swallowed anxiously at the glare that was shot toward her. She agreed, in a way. She would never want her friends to die because of her. "You came back to fix it, didn't you? So that they don't die?"

Future Honoka was silent for a moment before she nodded her head. "Nico told me to come back. She told me I have to fix this." She glanced toward the younger Nico, barely looking at her for a few seconds before she turned away again. She couldn't think of these people as her friends and yet it was difficult not to.

"Why should we believe you?" Maki finally asked, moving forward toward Honoka. "You could be lying. You could be a shapeshifter."

Honoka's chest tightened at the mention of shapeshifting and she glanced toward Eli and Nozomi. She remembered with disturbing detail how Anju had changed her appearance to look like Eli. She'd taken advantage of Nozomi's love of the blonde to kill her. She shook her head at the thought, Eli and Nozomi's clasped hands catching her attention. She almost smiled at the sight. At least some things didn't change. Their closeness had been the same for years.

"I'll prove it to you. You can ask me anything and I'll tell you." Her gaze trailed around the room, finally settling upon Eli. "You have a scar on your inner thigh that only Nozomi knows about right now."

Nozomi frowned at the revelation and glanced at her blushing girlfriend, wondering how Honoka could know such information. She shook it off quickly.

"That doesn't prove anything." Nico said stubbornly. "You could have found that out by yourself. You could have researched us."

"You're still taking the drug even though you've promised Maki you won't do it." Future Honoka said, turning to stare at Nico. "You're still pushing yourself to your limit because if you can't feel pain you can't feel anything at all. And if you can't feel pain, you can't feel…" she tilted her head toward Maki and watched as Nico's eyes widened in surprise.

"Y-you don't know what you're talking about!" Nico exclaimed though she hurriedly stepped back, her hands anxiously clenching her sweater.

Future Honoka was about to ask if they finally believed her when she felt something familiar, like something pushing into her mind. She knew that feeling well, though she was used to it being stronger. She grit her teeth together and forced herself to concentrate on pushing the intruder out. It was done within seconds. Her Maki had taught them all well.

Maki's eyes shot open in surprise. Nobody had ever shut her out before. She didn't have much time to ponder it before her attention was stolen by a fist flying toward her face. She barely had time to brace herself before a sharp pain shot through her jaw. She found herself on the floor a moment later.

"Maki!" Several voices echoed around the room.

Eli leapt to her feet, a fireball forming in her hand while Umi stepped forward, ready to aid the blonde if needed.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Future Honoka asked angrily as she stared down at Maki. "Do you want to see all of your friends being killed? I've already seen it and trust me, you wouldn't be able to deal with it."

Nico hurried over to Maki to check on her and Future Honoka almost softened at the sight. Those two always looked out for each other, even if they denied it. She took a deep breath and turned away. "If we're going to fix this, we need to train."

"Train?" Rin asked uncertainly, her grip on Hanayo tighter than ever. "What for?"

"I'm going to make you all stronger." Future Honoka declared without looking toward them. For what felt like the hundredth time, she closed her hand around the cross that hung around her neck. "I told you I would help you."

—

Two days later

"So now that we're here, who wants to hit me first?" Future Honoka's question was met with surprised silence but she waited patiently until one of the other members spoke. Unfortunately it was her past self who chose to do so.

"Um…why would we want to hit you?" Honoka asked tentatively , taking a small step forward from the rest of the group.

Future Honoka didn't fail to notice Umi reach out and grab the hem of Honoka's shirt to keep her from getting too close. It was a good call. "I want you to show me what you can do. Obviously." She answered with a roll of her eyes. "Who's up first?"

When nobody answered, she started to get irritated. They all faced certain death, aside from Nico, and none of them were taking it seriously enough. "Eli. You're up."

Eli glanced briefly at a worried looking Nozomi before she took a step forward. "What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know, throw a fireball at me or something." Future Honoka answered, motioning for her to hurry up and get on with it. "Whatever you'd usually do."

Eli sighed but lifted her hand, hesitantly forming a small blue ball of fire. "Are you sure about this?" She glanced skeptically between the flame and Honoka. As aware as she was that this Honoka wasn't the Honoka from their world, she still looked like her. "I might hurt you."

Future Honoka laughed darkly under her breath and shook her head. "Just hurry up and attack. I've had worse."

Eli took a deep breath and lifted her hand, hurling the fireball in Future Honoka's direction.

Honoka easily ducked under the flame, feeling the heat of it pass over her. A memory played out in her mind, of Eli throwing herself onto her. The comforting yet scorching heat from her flames as she set herself ablaze and then died to protect her. Clenching her teeth together against the ache of the memory, Future Honoka dashed toward Eli.

Eli's eyes widened in surprise and she instinctively formed another fireball, tossing it toward the rapidly advancing older girl.

Future Honoka dodged the fire easily, propelling herself forward to reach the blonde. She gripped her wrist and wrenched her arm behind her back. She was merciful. She didn't tug hard enough to break it. Still, Eli cried out in pain, her knees buckling beneath her.

"Stop it!" Nozomi cried out though she was frozen in place. "Let go of her!"

Future Honoka relented and let go of Eli's wrist. She motioned for Nozomi to help her up and watched as the purple haired girl rushed to Eli's aid. "You're a lot better at that in the future." She assessed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "If you'd set yourself on fire completely I wouldn't have been able to touch you."

Eli stood shakily on her feet next to Nozomi, rubbing her aching shoulder. "I can set myself on fire in the future?"

"Your power gets a lot stronger." Future Honoka answered with a nod. She turned back to the others, glancing between them. "Kotori-chan. It's your turn."

"No, wait!" Umi looked alarmed by the prospect of Kotori facing the same kind of thing Eli had. "I'll go first."

"Not yet." Future Honoka said sharply in that tone she seemed to reserve only for Umi and her past self. "It's Kotori-chan's turn."

"It's fine, Umi-chan. I'll be alright." Kotori said, resting a reassuring hand on Umi's shoulder for a moment. She paused for a brief second, meeting Umi's worried gaze before she stepped away from her. She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing her power to wash over her.

Future Honoka watched as Kotori disappeared from her sight. Allowing her eyes to slide shut, she focused intently, listening for the sound of Kotori's footsteps, her breathing, any sign that she was close really. Finally she sensed her presence and she reached out, swatting at the air. Her hand collided gently with Kotori's shoulder, in much the same way it used to when they played tag as children.

"You lose." She remarked, opening her eyes in time to see Kotori appear out of thin air in front of her. She gave Kotori's arm another pat, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "You can only turn yourself invisible right now?"

Kotori stared at Future Honoka through wide eyes, having expected to be brought down in the same way as Eli had been. The blonde in question was grumbling under her breath as Nozomi looked over her arm.

Future Honoka's chest tightened and she looked away, the corners of her eyes stinging. It was too hard to look at her childhood friend after she'd died in her arms. The same could be said for Eli. Umi too, though Future Honoka was trying to focus on the resentment she still felt toward her other best friend. Even if Umi hadn't betrayed them, she had still lied to her.

She looked over the others for a moment before her gaze landed on Umi. She unsheathed her knife from her belt and tossed it toward Umi. As expected, the archer caught it without blinking an eye. "You have to cut me and I have to stop you. Got it?"

Umi cast a glance toward Honoka who was watching with wide eyes. She reminded herself of how Future Honoka had been treating her over the past couple of days. Their Honoka would never talk to her in such a way. "Fine." She muttered, gripping the knife tighter. "Whatever you want." She waited until Kotori had moved to stand next to Honoka again before she rushed the older girl. It baffled her that their Honoka could have changed so much in just a few years.

Future Honoka waited until the blade of the knife was slashing through the air toward her arm before she reached out, her hand curling around Umi's bicep. At the same time, she twisted her body and kicked the back of Umi's knee, sending her to the ground with a cry of pain.

"Next." Future Honoka turned her attention back to the rest of the group as Umi dragged herself to her feet.

Umi glared at Future Honoka and limped back to Honoka and Kotori. She nodded at the apologetic smile she received from Kotori. "I don't see why she didn't go easy on me too." She mumbled, casting a contemplative look at their Honoka. "Do you like her more than me or something?"

Honoka turned to Umi with wide eyes. "Eh?!"

"Quiet!" Future Honoka said sternly as she continue to look over the group. She finally settled upon Rin, who was blocking Hanayo from view. "Rin. Your turn."

Rin looked nervous as she stepped closer to Future Honoka, her hands clenched nervously at her sides. "What do you want me to do?"

Future Honoka shrugged her shoulders. "Just show me what you can do."

Rin wasn't sure what that meant but she took a deep breath and broke into a dash, heading straight for the future version of her friend. Before she could collide with her, she changed her course, lapping around Honoka once, twice, three times.

Future Honoka lifted one hand to shield her face from the wind being generated by Rin's speed. She had to admit that it did make it hard to concentrate. Still, she had time on her side and she focused intently until she could see Rin running around her. After a moment, she reached out, flicking the younger girl in the forehead.

"Ouch!" Rin's eyes widened in surprise and she abruptly came to a stop, lifting her hands to her forehead. "That hurt, Honoka-chan!"

"Sorry." Future Honoka lowered her hand back to her side and shrugged her shoulders in response. "You're still kind of slow. We'll have to work on that."

Rin pouted and went back to Hanayo, rubbing her forehead.

"Even Rin got off lightly." Umi muttered unhappily, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Honoka felt the back of her neck prickle as a result of Umi's contemplative glances but she tried to ignore it, focusing on the others instead.

"Hanayo." Future Honoka declared before Hanayo had a chance to inspect Rin's forehead.

"Ah, I'd…rather not." Hanayo said awkwardly. "I don't think my power can be used to hurt people."

"Don't be ridiculous, of course it can be." Future Honoka answered bluntly, though there was no anger in her voice. She was merely stating a fact. "Come here." She motioned to the space before her and waited patiently until Hanayo shuffled over. When she was close enough, she grabbed her arm. "Phase your arm up to where I'm touching."

Hanayo swallowed apprehensively but did as she was asked, phasing her hand and wrist up to just below where Honoka was gripping.

"Don't hurt her."

Future Honoka glanced up from Hanayo, her gaze finding Rin, who had spoken up. She looked panicked, her eyes fixed on Honoka's hand. A quick scan of the rest of the group revealed that they all looked equally distressed. They had always been protective of the first years. Not so much Maki, she could take care of herself, and she had Nico for that anyway. But Hanayo and Rin were the youngest of the group. They'd always been looked after on some level. And yet they'd still been the first to die.

Future Honoka looked back to Hanayo, took a deep breath and thrust the younger girl's arm into her own chest. She didn't answer the resounding gasp from around her, too busy focusing on Hanayo.

"Focus." She said sharply, realizing that Hanayo's concentration was slipping. "If you unphase right now, you'll kill me."

Hanayo's eyes widened in panic for a moment and she instinctively leaned back, trying to extract her hand from Honoka's chest. "Honoka-chan, please let go."

Future Honoka held on for a moment before she released Hanayo's hand. The quiet girl stumbled backwards, her hand unphasing. "You're just as strong as everyone else, Hanayo. You just have to realize it."

Hanayo nodded shakily and moved back to Rin's side. She supposed she should be relieved that Honoka hadn't done anything to her but all she felt was sick. She'd never imagined her power could be used in such a way.

"Kayo-chin?" Rin reached out and took Hanayo's hand, giving it a light squeeze. As if she could tell what Hanayo was thinking, she gave her a soft smile which Hanayo couldn't help but return.

"You can choose who's next." Future Honoka waved a hand toward the four remaining members of the group. As she'd expected, Honoka took a step closer to Umi. She couldn't help but scoff. It was pathetic, the way her past self relied upon Umi.

"I'll do it." Nozomi took a step closer though it took quite a bit of tugging to get Eli to release her hand. "I'll go next."

Future Honoka nodded, looking Nozomi over with an appraising eye. "I won't go easy on you just because your power's weak." She cracked her knuckles of her right hand against the palm of her left.

Nozomi smiled at the mocking tone of Future Honoka's voice. She couldn't imagine their Honoka speaking to her in that way and yet hearing it from this Honoka didn't annoy her in the slightest. "Still so shortsighted in the future, Honoka-chan?"

"Hey!" Honoka exclaimed though she didn't step away from Umi to defend herself.

Future Honoka didn't react to Nozomi's retort but stared her down instead, waiting for her to attack. As Nozomi stepped closer, she could see a slightly irritated look on her face. She knew it wasn't because of what she'd said about her power. It was because of Eli.

"Do you know what your weakness is, Nozomi?" She waited patiently until Nozomi was within a couple of feet. It was clear she was biding her time, trying to find an opening. "It's not your power."

"Then what is it?" Nozomi asked though she worried that she already knew the answer. It was the reason she had volunteered to go next. She wondered how she had reacted in the past when she'd watched them being cut down one by one. She didn't know what she would do if she saw Eli die. A deep ache formed in her chest at the thought and she lurched forward, pressing her hand over Future Honoka's heart.

Honoka didn't move, she merely stood there and watched as Nozomi's eyes widened in surprise. As Nozomi's knees buckled, she reached up to grip her hand, keeping it pressed to her chest. It meant that she was forced to her knees with Nozomi but she didn't mind. Not when she had a point to prove.

"Did you forget that I watched almost everyone I love die?" She asked, her voice a harsh whisper as she stared into Nozomi's dampening eyes. She knew that Nozomi couldn't see what she'd seen. If that had been the case she would have pushed her away without hesitation. Like she had with Maki. She never wanted either of them to see the kind of things she had seen that day, or even before that. "Arisa, Rin, Hanayo, Kotori, Umi, Eli, Maki, you…" She pressed harder against Nozomi's hand at that, focusing on the memories.

Honoka cast a cautious look at Eli, not failing to notice the flames licking at her skin. The blonde looked furious at the treatment of her girlfriend though she was obviously making an effort not to step in and help.

"Stop it." Nozomi gasped, clutching at her own chest with her free hand as tears spilled relentlessly down her cheeks. She'd never felt such a deep ache before. Not when she was caught in her own loneliness or when she was pining over Eli.

Future Honoka clenched her jaw, refusing to let go. The last time she'd seen Nozomi in such a state, with the exception of when Eli had died, was when she had watched Eli crying over Arisa's body. It had killed Nozomi to watch it, and Honoka knew that she'd done nothing to keep herself from feeling Eli's pain. She'd felt everything Eli was feeling when it came to the loss of her sister. That was what the two of them did. They shared their burden.

Future Honoka struggled to keep her own eyes from watering. "It's her, you know. Eli's always going to be your weakness. The rest of them are too, but never as much as her."

"STOP!" Eli, finally unable to hold herself back moved forward and shoved Honoka away from Nozomi as hard as she could.

Honoka stumbled back and hurriedly patted her clothes to put the flames left in the wake of Eli's hands out. She winced as the flames licked at her skin. They weren't bad burns but she could feel them. She supposed it was a good thing she had access to so much money, thanks to her parents and Umi. They had given her all of the account details in the future.

She watched as Eli sank to her knees next to Nozomi, the flames that surrounded her arms going out the moment she reached for her. Future Honoka realized with a start that it wasn't just Eli's hands that had been ablaze. The fire had spread right up to her shoulders.

Eli drew Nozomi toward her, embracing her tightly and looked over at Future Honoka with accusing eyes. "How could you do that?" She snapped, her own voice thick with emotion. "How…" She trailed off, paling as she thought back to what Future Honoka had said. "Arisa. Did you you say Arisa was…?"

Future Honoka cursed under her breath. She should have known better than to let that slip out. She nodded solemnly. "It was before. In my time, it's been a year since she died. I'm sorry, Eli."

"Don't say you're sorry, you're here to fix it." Eli felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She didn't know what she would do if Arisa died. "We're going to fix it, aren't we?" She continued to hold onto Nozomi tightly but she didn't know if she was giving comfort or seeking it. Nozomi had calmed down at least.

Future Honoka looked away, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. She didn't know if she could fix that but she hoped so. Eli wasn't the same in her future. She was reckless and out of control. While she still cared for her friends she didn't value her own life. Yukiho too, had been greatly affected by Arisa's death. She barely spoke to her older sister anymore.

"I don't know if…"

"Shut up!" Eli pushed herself to her feet, her hands clenched into fists. "I'm done with this. I'm going to see my sister." She rushed past Honoka to get to the door.

Nozomi was on her feet a moment later, rushing after her distraught girlfriend.

Future Honoka sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her hair. This was much harder than she thought it would be. "You can all leave. We'll pick this up tomorrow."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Here's the next chapter, thanks for the reviews! :D**_ __

 _"ARISA!"_

 _Honoka felt like time had frozen as she watched Arisa's body fall to the ground, Eli's agonized yell echoing around her. She stared with wide eyes, barely able to comprehend the idea that the younger Ayase was dead. It had only been an hour ago that Eli had received a call from her sister. Arisa had been worried that someone had been following her and she'd requested that Eli come and get her. Just to be on the safe side, Honoka and Nozomi had offered to go along with her._

 _As Arisa's body hit the ground, Eli rushed forward and fell to her knees, gathering her sister's limp body in her arms. "Arisa?" Tears flooded her eyes as she shakily felt for a pulse. "Arisa!"_

 _Honoka took a couple of stumbling steps forward, catching sight of Arisa's face. Blood trailed from the corner of her mouth but other than that she looked fine. Almost as if she was sleeping. It was hard to believe, how much she'd grown to look like her sister. Yukiho looked nothing like Honoka._

 _Honoka stopped short as an agonized wail escaped Eli's throat. Her eyes widened in shock as Eli dissolved into loud sobs. She had never seen her like this before. It could only mean that Arisa was really dead. "No…" She whispered, tears filling her own eyes. "Oh god, no."_

 _A quiet whimper from behind her caught her attention and she looked over her shoulder to see Nozomi standing there. Her hand covered her mouth, tears trickling their way steadily down her cheeks. Nozomi and Arisa were close but that wasn't the only reason she was crying. Honoka knew that Nozomi could feel Eli's pain just as well as her own. "Nozomi-chan…"_

 _Nozomi met Honoka's gaze for a moment before her attention was drawn to something over the younger girl's shoulder._

 _Honoka looked back toward Eli in time to see the blonde set Arisa gently down on the ground and stumble to her feet. She had barely realized that Eli was charging toward her before she was right in front of her. She instinctively flinched back at the sight of dark blue flames licking at Eli's skin. She had never seen them that shade before. They were usually light blue, much like the color of her eyes._

" _You need to fix this." Eli said, her voice choked with emotion. The determination on her face was clear though. "You need to go back and save her."_

" _I-I can't." Honoka said helplessly as she looked over at Aria's body. "That's not how it works."_

" _I don't give a fuck if that's not how it works!" Eli grabbed Honoka's collar with one hand and pulled her close to her. She wouldn't lose Arisa. There was no way. She was ignorant of the fact that she was setting Honoka's clothes alight. "Use your power, Honoka! Use it now." She gave her friend a sharp shake to emphasize her point._

 _Honoka's bottom lip trembled, the tears she had been holding back finally falling. She wished there was something she could do. She should have been faster when they'd gotten there. She should have stopped Erena in her tracks. "E-Eli-senpai…"_

" _Just GO BACK!" Eli yelled desperately, her grip on Honoka tightening. "Please, Honoka! Please save my sister. I can't…I can't lose her."_

 _Honoka could only shake her head, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. Her eyes widened in surprise when Eli forcefully pushed her away, causing her to fall over her own feet and land solidly on her behind. She quickly patted her collar to make sure her skin didn't burn._

 _It wasn't but a second later that Nozomi stepped in and took Honoka's place in front of Eli. She drew the blonde close to her and embraced her tightly._

 _Eli seemed to lose the last of her strength at the touch and she fell forward against Nozomi, bringing them both to their knees._

" _I'll kill her." Eli sobbed into Nozomi's chest as she gripped the back of her girlfriend's jacket as tightly as she could. "I'll kill them all!"_

 _Honoka swallowed thickly at Eli's words. They both knew who was really responsible for what had happened. Tsubasa. She would have ordered Erena to kill the person Eli held most dear. Erena, ever eager to sabotage the blonde's life for some reason, would have agreed instantly._

" _I know." Nozomi soothed through her own tears as she stroked Eli's hair. She forced her eyes closed and concentrated on absorbing more of Eli's heartache. The force of it was enough to make her want to scream in despair but she bit down hard on her lip instead._

Future Honoka sat up sharply, gasping for breath. The chill of the air against her sweat dampened skin had her shivering uncontrollably. She reached up and placed a hand on her chest, feeling her heart pound frantically against her palm. She couldn't help but wonder why she was having that nightmare now. She hadn't had it in almost a year.

Cool metal grazed against her fingertips and she automatically grasped at the cross around her neck, inhaling slowly. Somehow the contact with Eli's most treasured possession managed to calm her and she took a few deep breaths to steady herself further.

" _E-Eli-senpai, I'm so sorry."_

" _Don't be stupid, Honoka. It's not like it was your fault. It was A-Rise. And I'm going to destroy them all for what they did. I'll kill all of them and anyone else who had anything to do with what happened to my sister. Are you with me?"_

"… _I'm with you."_

A quiet whimper escaped her at the memory and for the first time she was glad that she'd elected to stay in a hotel room instead of taking Nozomi up on her offer to stay with her in her apartment. She closed her eyes tightly as she focused on the subtle sting of the cross digging into the skin of her palm. She missed her Eli more than she had ever imagined that she would. That the blonde had died for her just make the whole situation so much worse.

It wasn't as though she had never expected the day to come when Eli wouldn't be in her life. She'd often worried that Eli would end up getting herself killed. She'd been reckless after her sister's death, almost to the point that it seemed she would welcome her own. Nozomi seemed to be the only thing that could keep her anchored to reality. It was no secret that if anything had happened to Nozomi, Eli would have given up completely. It hadn't been as obvious but Honoka had known the same thing was true for Nozomi. It had turned out she was right. Losing Eli was Nozomi's downfall.

"Eli-senpai…" She whispered into the silence of the room. She wondered what her friend would do in this situation. Would she be doing the same thing Honoka was doing? She would do everything she could to protect her friends, that was for certain. She'd been the protector of the group since they'd all found out about each other's powers but after Arisa had died, her role as the protector was even more obvious.

A part of her had worried that Eli would hate her for not being able to go back to save Arisa but that wasn't the case. The opposite was true in fact. She'd only gotten closer to Eli afterwards. She supposed that Eli must have felt bad for her. They had both lost a sister in one way or another. When Yukiho had learned that Arisa was dead and that Honoka couldn't fix it - wouldn't fix it as she'd put it - she'd all but cut ties with her. She'd joined the rebels to avenge Arisa and she'd vowed never to speak to Honoka again.

"I'll save her too." She whispered, opening her hand to look down at the small cross. "I promise."

—

Future Honoka watched with a critical eye as Umi halfheartedly slashed her blade toward Nozomi. There was no real force behind it and only a slight movement to the left was needed to dodge it. "Umi! What the hell are you doing? You're meant to be training, not…" She gestured toward what Umi was doing. "I don't even know what you're doing. It's like you're handing her the knife!"

Umi grimaced as Future Honoka berated her. It seemed that the future version of her best friend hated her almost as much as she hated her past self. "Well I don't want to cut her!"

Future Honoka had to resist the urge to march over there and take the knife to show her how it was done. She heaved a sigh and glanced around at the rest of them. Nobody was having much luck, it seemed. They were all going too easy on each other. Rin and Honoka were goofing off where they thought nobody could see them, Nico was sitting on the sidelines with a bored look on her face, Kotori and Maki didn't seem to be trying very hard at all and Eli was too busy keeping an eye on Nozomi to pay much attention to her own partner.

"Eli!" Future Honoka barked, her fists clenching at her sides. She frowned as Eli jolted in surprise and turned to look at her. "Instead of drooling over your girlfriend, could you get your head in the game?!"

Eli's cheeks reddened with embarrassment. "I wasn't drooling over her! I was just…"

Nozomi laughed as Eli trailed off and looked away. "You can admit it, Ellichi. I don't mind. If you want I'll give you a private show later."

"Nozomi!" Eli exclaimed, feeling her face heat up further. Huffing, she turned her attention back to Hanayo and threw another weak fireball toward her, expecting her to phase through it like she had been a few minutes ago. Instead, the flame hit it's target and Hanayo let out a pained scream.

"Hanayo!" "Hanayo-chan!" "Kayo-chin!"

Concerned voices echoed around the roof as everyone stopped what they were doing. Future Honoka rushed toward Hanayo, reaching her at the same time as her past self and Eli did. Together they frantically patted the flames out, leaving a signed hole in it's wake.

"I'm sorry, Hanayo!" Eli exclaimed as she stared at the quietly crying first year. She hated hurting people with her power. It was worse when it was one of her close friends. "I-I didn't mean to. I thought you'd phase through it like you did before."

Hanayo shook her head though she couldn't speak past her tears.

A moment later Rin appeared by her side, gripping her hand tightly. She looked just as upset as Hanayo did and Future Honoka felt her stomach sink. Sometimes she could hardly stand being around the nine of them and watching the way they interacted with each other.

Kotori, who had joined them, slipped past Future Honoka and carefully poured the cool water from her water bottle onto Hanayo's burnt skin.

"Nico, come here." Future Honoka glanced around in search of the smaller girl and found her a few feet away. "Heal her."

Nico stared at Honoka as if she'd lost her mind. "How am I supposed to do that?"

Future Honoka realized her mistake a moment too late. "Just forget it. I forgot that you can't heal yet." She turned back to the others to see that Nozomi and the others seemed to have the situation under control.

"Wait, if I can heal people, how did your friends end up dead?!"

The question was blunt and loud and it sent a jolt of shock through Future Honoka. The rest of the group, even a still pained looking Hanayo stopped what they were doing too, to listen in on the conversation.

"You…my Nico was busy protecting Maki." Future Honoka said, deciding it would be easier to tell the truth. "Anju was shooting at Maki and she was shielding her. After, when Maki…" Her words caught in her throat. "She just kept cutting herself, trying to heal Maki with her blood. Maki was already dead but you wouldn't stop. I don't even think you noticed everyone else had been killed."

"You've got to be kidding me." Nico placed her hand over her mouth, appalled by the news of her ignorance. How could she not have noticed? She glanced at Maki to see that she looked even more disturbed. The redhead's hands shook at her sides, her eyes wide with shock.

There was a minute or so of silence until Honoka spoke up. "Let's get Hanayo-chan to the nurse's office. I think that's enough for today."

Busy reliving the events of that day, Future Honoka couldn't even bring herself to snap at her younger self. She allowed the group to pass her, obviously intending to escort Hanayo to the nurse's office. She noticed that Maki hadn't moved from where she stood and shot her a confused look.

Maki crossed her arms in front of her chest and stayed silent, waiting for the others to leave.

Future Honoka turned and watched as Eli glanced back at her from the doorway that would lead her down from the school roof. Like her, it was obvious that Eli was aware that Maki was lingering behind. Honoka didn't say anything to ease Eli's concern for the redhead, merely staring at her until she reluctantly closed the door behind her.

"She worries about you too much. All of you." Future Honoka commented dryly as she turned on her heel to face Maki. The younger girl was hovering awkwardly behind her, her face still ashen from the news she'd received moments ago. "It's going to get her killed one day."

Maki shifted her weight to her other foot. "I wanted to talk to you about what you said before. About what Nico did for me."

Future Honoka usually would have found Maki's awkwardness amusing but she couldn't crack a smile. She had relived those few hours of her life more times than she could count already. "I figured something like this would happen. I'm surprised you're the one who asked first though, after what happened a couple of days ago." She eyed the sore looking bruise that covered the left side of Maki's jaw.

Maki gritted her teeth at the reminder of Honoka punching her. She almost complained about it but she had something more important to say. "I don't understand what you told us about Nico. You said she was protecting me in the future. That she didn't notice everyone else die because she was too busy protecting me and trying to bring me back when I…" She paused for a second, a chill coursing it's way down her spine at the thought of her future self's demise. It was still a lot to take in. "Why would she do that for me?"

Future Honoka crossed her arms in front of her chest and frowned to herself. She should have expected that. "It's complicated."

"So uncomplicate it!" Maki snapped irritably, taking a step forward. She hated that Honoka looked completely unfazed by her anger. "You can't just tell me that she took bullets for me without telling me why! What the hell was wrong with her?! If she could heal you all, why wouldn't she? Why would she stay with me? I don't understand!"

"You can't possibly understand." Future Honoka answered with a shake of her head. She stayed calm and composed despite the ache in her chest. "Nico loved you more than you could ever hope to understand. If she could have died, she would have still taken those bullets for you."

Maki froze, surprise on her face. "W-What is that supposed to mean?"

"Just what I said. You wanted to know why Nico stayed with you and I told you." Future Honoka lowered her arms back to her sides. "It's the same reason Nozomi lost it when Eli died. It's the same reason Hanayo died trying to get Rin to safety. Without you, there was nothing left for Nico. Do you understand now, Maki?"

Maki swallowed heavily and nodded her head. She did, in a way. "Yeah, I…I understand." Almost automatically, she walked back to the door only to pause with her hand on the cool metal handle. "Wait…Did I love her back? Do I?"

Future Honoka forced a smile. "My Maki loved my Nico more than anything, even if she didn't always show it. As for whether you can say the same thing, I don't know. That's up to you to find out."

Maki nodded and without another word, left the roof.

"Stupid kids." Future Honoka muttered, reaching down to grip the cross around her neck. She closed her eyes, breathing in slowly. Seeing the nine of them together only brought back memories that were hard for her to deal with. "You can show yourself now, Kotori-chan. She's gone."

She turned on her heel in time to see Kotori appear out of thin air, a sheepish look on her face. "How did you know I was here? You weren't watching us leave."

"It's complicated. I suppose you could say I can sense you." Future Honoka's gaze shifted briefly toward the doorway. "I'm surprised Umi hasn't noticed you're missing and rushed back up here."

"Give her some time." Kotori joked tentatively. She watched as the older version of her friend just shook her head in response. "Honoka-chan? Do you hate Umi-chan?"

"I try to." Future Honoka answered, taking a step closer to Kotori. She'd tried so hard, for so long to hate Umi that it almost felt like she did. Yet hatred was the last thing she had felt when Umi had died. She'd been desperate to save her. She gritted her teeth together and clenched her fists tightly at her sides.

"And me?" Kotori tentatively matched Honoka's step forward with one of her own. Even if Honoka didn't hate her, it still hurt to know that she was trying to hate Umi. She couldn't comprehend the idea of them not being friends. It had always been the three of them, together, since they were children. "Do you hate me?"

"No." Future Honoka's eyes snapped open in alarm. "Not you." Her eyes softened as she took in the distressed look on Kotori's face. It seemed that her Kotori had lied to her, but even that she couldn't be angry about. "I could never hate you."

Kotori managed a small smile at that. "I'm glad."

Future Honoka sighed at the answer. "Did you want something? You must have stayed up here for a reason." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Were you planning to spy on me?"

Kotori's eyes widened at the accusation and she quickly shook her head. "No, of course not! I just…I don't like that you're alone all of the time, that's all. I wanted to spend…some time with you." She looked down, feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment. She couldn't deny that she found this new, dark and mysterious version of her best friend attractive. "I want to know more about you."

Future Honoka stared at Kotori for a long moment before she allowed herself to relax. "I'd almost forgotten how sweet you can be." She wondered if the memories she had of her friends would barely be recallable some day. Part of her hoped she wouldn't have to worry about it. "But you know my story. What happened in that classroom is all that matters."

"Of course it's not." Kotori answered, her brow furrowing. "I want to know about you. About my future self. We're still close, aren't we?"

"We were." Future Honoka answered. Her heart ached at the thought of her best friend. "Nothing could ever come between us. Not even…" She trailed off before she could say the name of their other best friend. "You'll always be my very best friend, Kotori-chan."

Kotori recognized the pain in Honoka's eyes and closed the few small steps between them to lay a hand upon her arm.

The touch brought back memories of Kotori's final few minutes. Of her friend grasping for her hand, telling her that she loved her. Despite herself, her eyes stung with oncoming tears. She shook Kotori off only to grab her hand and pull her toward her.

Kotori's eyes widened in surprise as she found herself wrapped tightly in Future Honoka's arms. It was different from the hugs her own version of Honoka gave. The older version was taller, not to mention more muscular. Still, it was Honoka, and she quickly relaxed against her. "Honoka-chan?" Her voice was a whisper, her forehead pressed to Honoka's chest. "Will you tell me how I…how did I die?"

Honoka tensed at the question but she didn't pull away. She refused to answer it directly though. "I tried to save you but I-I couldn't. I was too late."

Kotori knew it was morbid, but she was curious. "Was I afraid?"

Future Honoka felt the tears that had welled up in her eyes fall but she made no move to wipe them away just yet. "Yes. But you were brave too. I wasn't. I begged you not to leave me. After you died, I wished that someone would turn up and kill me too."

"H-Honoka-chan…"

Realizing she'd said too much, Future Honoka reached up and swiftly brushed away her tears before letting go of Kotori. "You should get going before Umi comes back and accuses me of leading you astray."

Kotori shifted uncomfortably, concerned by the older girl's change in behavior. "About what you said before about Nico and Maki…is it alright to tell her that? What if it changes things too much? I know you want to keep us from dying so it doesn't matter what you tell us about that but…what you told Maki was personal."

Future Honoka shook her head. "Those two won't figure out their feelings for a while. They're both too stubborn."

Kotori wasn't so sure about that but she took advantage of the answer Future Honoka had given. "Did you…have anyone in the future?"

"Me?" Future Honoka echoed, trying not to panic at the question. "No. Well yes…but I can't tell you about them. It might change things. Not that it really matters for me any more…"

"So I know them?" Kotori asked, intrigued. She tried to think of who it could be. Umi, maybe. Or her. Or…Eli? She frowned at the older girl for a moment before shaking her head. Eli was with Nozomi. But Honoka had mentioned Eli's scar. Apparently it was located in a somewhat intimate place. How would she have even known about that? Not only that but Eli had been the first person Future Honoka had revealed herself to, and Kotori often found her watching Eli with a strange look on her face.

But that would mean that Nozomi and Eli had broken up. She couldn't even imagine that happening. Those two loved each other more than anything. It had to be someone else.

"Don't think about it too much." Future Honoka said with a fond roll of her eyes. "You won't guess who it is. Besides, it doesn't matter now."

Kotori's stomach plummeted as she realized the person Future Honoka had dated was most likely dead in her future. She watched as the time traveller closed her hand around a necklace hanging around her neck. It hadn't escaped Kotori's noticed that the older girl did that quite often, mostly when they were talking about things that made her uncomfortable. She had never seen the necklace up close but it did look familiar in a way, even if she had only seen the chain.

"You should go." Future Honoka reminded Kotori again, her voice soft. She didn't know how much longer she could endure being around the past version of her best friend. It was just a painful reminder that she would never see her Kotori again. Or any of her friends for that matter.

"We'll talk again soon?" Kotori asked hopefully. It seemed as though Future Honoka's facade had cracked just a little bit around her. She could only hope that the obviously lonely girl would let her in. Even if she was from another time, she was still Honoka to her.

Future Honoka opened her mouth to reply but she was cut off by the sound of the door slamming open behind them. Instinctively, she grabbed Kotori's arm and drew her close, her other hand sliding her knife from her belt. She allowed herself to relax a little bit when she saw it was only Umi.

"What the hell are you doing coming up here like that?" She scowled, lowering the knife in her hand. "If I'd been any closer to that door I could have killed you!"

Umi had paused at the doorway, out of breath and red faced from her sprint up the stairs. "I-I was worried when I noticed Kotori was missing." She answered, trying not to back down at the glare Future Honoka sent her. She turned her attention to Kotori again, noticing that Kotori was still pressed against Future Honoka. It worried her that Kotori seemed to feel so safe around the older version of their best friend. She was nothing like their Honoka, not really. "It's not like you to run off without telling us."

"I didn't run off, I just didn't leave when the rest of you did." Kotori answered, finally stepping away from Honoka. "I was with Honoka-chan."

"That's what I was worried about." Umi remarked, observing the blush on Kotori's cheeks. It seemed that her friend couldn't make her crush on the older version of their best friend more obvious if she tried. She couldn't deny she was attracted to her too, but she was subtle about it. Besides that, Future Honoka clearly hated her.

Future Honoka scoffed at that. "Kotori-chan can do whatever she wants. She doesn't need your permission." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, her expression steely. "Anyway, if anyone here can't be trusted here, it's you."

Umi gathered herself up to full height, her hands closing into fists at her side. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing. Just get out of my sight. I'm already tired of looking at you." Future Honoka snapped, abruptly turning away from the two of them. She caught Kotori's crestfallen look though and felt a stab of guilt. "We'll talk more later, Kotori-chan."

Umi clenched her jaw, the clear rejection sending an ache reverberating through her chest. She didn't notice as Kotori took her hand and tugged her back into the stairwell. When the door closed behind them, dimming the stairwell to near complete darkness, she let out a shuddering breath.

"Why do you think Honoka hates me?" She whispered, raising her eyes to Kotori's. She knew it shouldn't bother her so much to be shunned by the near complete stranger but that was Honoka. A future version of her but it was still her best friend. She hated to think that someday their relationship would turn into what it clearly was in the future. "I don't know what I've done."

Even in the darkness, Kotori could see Umi's eyes shimmering, a thin veil of tears that she stubbornly refused the let fall. She stepped forward, her arms going around Umi's waist. "I don't know, Umi-chan." She answered quietly as Umi's head came to rest upon her shoulder. Whatever the reason was, she was going to find out.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for reading and reviewing guys! :D**

 **Also quick note: I know Honoka doesn't call Eli Eli-senpai in the actual anime it's just a personal choice of mine. And yes, in this sense I do see it as representing closeness rather than distance.**

Future Honoka shoved her hands into her pockets as she scanned the busy streets. It was early evening but the streets of Akihabara were already busy. It was a far cry from what she remembered from the future. Where she came from the streets were desolate, having been destroyed in some way or another.

Noticing someone looking her way she tried to shrink deeper into the shadows. There was no real reason to hide. If someone recognized her as her past self she could make up some excuse, like she was a relative or something like that. It would be easy, and yet for some reason she didn't want to have to do that.

A child suddenly ran into her path and she veered to the right to avoid the small boy. Unfortunately her path was blocked by a tall man and she cursed loudly as she bumped right into his chest, sending her stumbling to the side. She bumped into someone else, someone smaller and unmistakably female. Automatically she reached out to steady them. She'd never been such a clutz before. Maybe she wasn't getting enough sleep. She did seem to spend her nights agonizing over what had happened in the past, or rather, the future.

"I'm sor-"

"Honoka-chan?"

Future Honoka bristled for a moment before she realized that she recognized the voice. She finally got a good look at the person's face as she leaned back. "Kotori-chan! W-What are you doing out so late?"

Kotori raised an eyebrow at the question. "It's only about seven. Why wouldn't I be out?" She offered the time traveller an uncertain smile. "What about you? I didn't think you went out much besides training with us."

Future Honoka couldn't argue with that. It wasn't as though she had much of a life in this time. She didn't even belong there really. Besides that, she had to try to stay away from people. The slightest encounter could have massive consequences, like a ripple effect.

"I just needed some air." She explained after a moment. "My hotel room gets pretty stuffy after a while." She watched as Kotori nodded in response. "Well since we're both here, why don't you come to dinner with me? I'm kind of hungry and I saw a decent looking restaurant down there." She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the restaurant she'd spotted on her way up the street.

Kotori felt her cheeks flush at the question. "D-Dinner?" She stuttered nervously. That had to make it a date, didn't it? The idea of going on a date with Honoka caused her stomach to flutter with excitement. "Um…alright then. If you're sure."

"Great. Let's go then." Future Honoka hesitated for a split second. If it was her Kotori, she would have grabbed her hand and tugged her after her but it wasn't and she couldn't bring herself to act that way. She took a deep breath before she turned and stormed down the street, trying to push the thought of her Kotori from her mind. It was impossible not to think of her, with Kotori's past self right there.

Kotori jogged after Future Honoka, doing her best not to lose sight of her best friend's future self in the crowd. She moved a lot faster than the Honoka she was used to. it was quite obvious that she'd gotten a lot fitter over the years.

Finally Future Honoka paused to wait for Kotori outside of the restaurant.

"You walk fast." Kotori said breathlessly when she finally reached Future Honoka's side.

"Sorry." Future Honoka smiled sheepishly and reached out to brush her hand against Kotori's arm in an apologetic gesture. She led the way inside, not noticing Kotori practically swooning behind her.

Trying to ignore the rapid beating of her own heart, Kotori followed Honoka inside. She wasn't sure what attracted her so much to the older version of her best friend but she couldn't deny how she felt. She sat down, noticing the brief glance Future Honoka gave her.

Future Honoka cleared her throat as she took her own seat. She hadn't taken into account how hard it would be to be alone with Kotori. She should have thought about that before she had invited her to dinner. "Have you been practicing with your invisibility?"

Kotori nodded earnestly. "Just like you told me to. Let's not talk about that tonight though. We talk about it every day when we train." It was relentless though Future Honoka insisted that they needed to do it to get better. So they'd be ready for A-Rise. "Let's talk about something else."

Future Honoka was saved from asking what else they could possibly talk about by a waitress arriving to take their order. She automatically ordered for the both of them, not realizing what she'd done until the waitress had left. "Oh!" She looked up sharply, finding Kotori staring at her in surprise. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to order for you. It's just…I always ordered for my Kotori…I'll call her back."

"No." Kotori reached out to touch Future Honoka's hand. It was sweet in a way that Honoka had gone ahead and ordered for both of them. "It's fine. I don't mind. Really."

Future Honoka sank back into her seat and sighed softly. For a moment there she had managed to pretend that this was just another date with her Kotori, though that wasn't the case. "Right…"

Noticing the far off look in Honoka's eyes, Kotori was silent for a moment. She was tempted to ask about Umi, though she didn't want to use her time like that. She should be making the most of it, to find out why Honoka acted the way she did. "Honoka-chan, can I ask you something?"

Future Honoka gave a barely there nod and Kotori quickly continued. "About Eli…" She still wasn't sure whether Eli really was the person Future Honoka had dated in the future. There did seem to be a history between them. "You don't call her Eli-senpai anymore, do you? I-I just thought it was odd that you don't…"

Future Honoka tensed at the question, images of her Eli flashing before her eyes. Of the last time she had seen her. Her fingers drifted over the outline of the cross under her shirt. "It wouldn't feel right. The Eli here isn't really my Eli. I would only call my Eli senpai. Don't worry, I didn't stop in the future."

Kotori nodded, feeling a bit guilty for bringing it up. It was obviously painful for Honoka to talk about. "Could you tell me more about yourself? I want to know you better."

"You already know me." Honoka glanced up, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "I'm just Honoka. Maybe a little bit older and taller than she is but I'm still her."

Kotori pouted at the answer but she couldn't argue. When their food arrived she sat up a bit straighter though her gaze never left Future Honoka's. It seemed the older girl couldn't look away from her either, causing her to blush slightly.

For a few minutes they ate in silence until the quiet finally got to Kotori. "Do you still like music in the future?"

"There's not much room for music where I'm from." Future Honoka answered. She watched as Kotori's face fell in response. She sighed softly. She couldn't stand to disappoint her. Even in the future, she hated to upset her best friend. "I used to get Maki-chan to play for me sometimes, when she had time. Her music relaxes me, I suppose."

Kotori brightened when Honoka amended her answer. At least some things didn't change. "That's good." She settled upon, figuring it best that she didn't discuss their friends too much. It was obviously a painful topic. "Maki-chan plays really well. I know why it would relax you."

She was glad that they had all been close in the future still, aside from Honoka and Umi it seemed. Upon being met with silence she glanced up from her food to Future Honoka.

"You look really pretty tonight, Kotori-chan." Future Honoka froze as the words left her mouth. The blush that covered her cheeks matched the one that formed on Kotori's. "I-I mean…I'm sorry. You probably think that was weird of me to say."

"No." Kotori couldn't have been happier with the praise even if she did feel slightly embarrassed by it. "I um…thank you, Honoka-chan." She wanted to return the compliment but she wasn't sure how to. 'Pretty' didn't quite describe the future version of her friend. She'd need a word stronger than that.

Future Honoka still felt slightly unsure. She wouldn't have hesitated to tell her Kotori that she looked pretty. But this wasn't her Kotori. Yet again she'd made the mistake of picturing her as such. She cursed herself for getting too close. She had been adamant that she would distance herself from all of them.

Noticing the uncertainty on Honoka's face, Kotori reached out and took Honoka's hand. "Honoka-chan, it's fine. Really. It makes me happy when you compliment me."

"Right." Honoka let out a slow breath and told herself to relax. She looked down at Kotori's hand and automatically squeezed back. It was familiar, in a way that caused a deep ache of longing to form in her chest. She hurriedly tried to distract herself. "So…you're still into fashion here, aren't you?"

Kotori brightened at the mention of her favourite topic. "Yes! I love fashion. I was actually on my way to pick up some fabric when you bumped into me."

"Oh, I'm sorry I interrupted you." Honoka apologized, wincing at the reminder of her clumsiness. Maybe watching her idiotic past self was starting to affect her. "What were you shopping for fabric for?"

"Eli-chan asked me to make a dress for her because she wants to take Nozomi out." Kotori answered, smiling at the thought of Eli's excitement when she'd asked her about it. "She said something about an anniversary but I'm not sure which anniversary. Maybe of when she first met Nozomi-chan…" She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "I'm almost finished the dress itself, I just needed some blue fabric to finish it off. Blue really brings out Eli-chan's eyes, don't you think?"

Future Honoka gave a shrug, unaware of the soft smile that tugged at her lips. "You're the expert, Kotori-chan. I just follow your lead." She leaned forward slightly, feeling at ease for what felt like the first time in months.

Kotori felt her breath catch in her throat as blue eyes met her own intently. She almost felt as though those eyes could see through her and she quickly found herself getting lost in them. The look Honoka was giving her was the softest she'd seen on this Honoka's face since she had arrived. She lifted her hand and slowly brushed Honoka's bangs from her face, her fingertips brushing against soft skin. Honoka really did look especially beautiful with her hair down. She noticed a scar just below Honoka's hairline, her fingers brushing over it.

Future Honoka reached up and grasped Kotori's hand, slowly lowering it. Her head turned slightly, the instinct to press her lips to the soft palm almost overwhelming her. She'd done it countless times, allowing her lips to linger against Kotori's skin as she'd breathed in her clean scent.

Kotori grasped Honoka's hand back and slowly leaned in, pressing her lips to Honoka's.

Honoka's eyes widened for a split second before fluttering closed. Kissing Kotori was just as warm and comforting as she remembered it to be. She tightened her grip on the hand in her own and leaned into the kiss, her heart aching slightly. She missed Kotori terribly. More than she could even put into words. Images of her Kotori flashed before her eyes, images of her laughing at something stupid Honoka had said, of the many mornings they'd spent curled up in bed together, refusing to face the day. Finally the image of Kotori bleeding in her arms came to mind and she quickly pulled away. This wasn't her Kotori.

She noticed Kotori leaning in again and placed her hand against her shoulder, gently pushing her away. "I'm sorry. We can't."

Hurt flashed across Kotori's face and she hurriedly stood up, preparing to leave. She paused when Honoka grasped her wrist.

"It's not what you think. Please, just listen to me." Future Honoka gave a gentle tug, encouraging Kotori to sit back down. "Kotori-chan, you're only sixteen."

"I'm old enough to kiss whoever I like!"

Had Honoka not been reeling from the flashback to her Kotori, she would have laughed at how indignant the teenager sounded. "Maybe. But it's still not right, for me."

Kotori visibly deflated. "Because you're in love with Eli-chan, right? That's why you can't kiss me."

"No. Eli is…was like a sister to me." Future Honoka's stomach sank as she forced herself to refer to Eli as being in the past. She suddenly felt like she was about to burst into tears and she swallowed convulsively. "The person I love is Minami Kotori. I loved my Kotori more than anything else. You have to understand…doing this with you wouldn't be right. I know you're the same person but it doesn't matter."

"Me?" Kotori stared at Future Honoka speechlessly. "You love me?"

"More than life itself." Future Honoka remembered what she had mentioned a few days ago, about almost hoping that someone would kill her after Kotori's death. It was still true, in a way. She didn't know how she would go on without her.

Kotori felt her eyes fill with tears though she wasn't sure if they were tears of happiness or tears of sadness, on Honoka's behalf. She leaned forward and threw her arms around Honoka, causing her to gasp in surprise.

Slowly, Future Honoka returned the embrace, her eyes prickling with moisture. She buried her face in Kotori's shoulder and inhaled slowly, trying to regain her composure. She wouldn't break, not until she had finished what she'd came there to do.

A minute or so passed until Kotori pulled away and wiped at her eyes, a sheepish laugh escaping her lips. "I'm going to wash up. I'll be back soon." She got up and quickly headed for the bathroom to clean herself up.

—

"What are they talking about?" Honoka craned her neck to see through the window of the restaurant from her hiding position. She wished she could somehow hear what the two of them were saying to each other. As far as she knew, Kotori was the only person Future Honoka had bothered with outside of their training.

"I can't believe Kotori didn't tell me she was going out with Honoka today!" Umi muttered as she glared through the window. It wasn't fair, that Kotori had managed to get Future Honoka to herself. She could only imagine that Future Honoka would be appalled by the idea of spending time with her. She clenched her hands into fists at the thought and looked toward Honoka. The thought of her best friend hating her hurt her deeply. She couldn't imagine her life without Honoka in it. For as long as she could remember the three of them had been together. They completed each other. She wondered if the Umi in the future had missed Honoka's presence as much as she knew she would.

Eli sighed heavily as she listened to the two of them. She cast a look toward Nozomi who looked nothing short of amused. "Why are we here?"

"We're investigating, Elichi." Nozomi curled her arm around Eli's and drew her close to her side. "It's exciting."

"They look awfully chummy in there." Umi declared as she watched Future Honoka lean forward, a soft smile on her face. "Why does she react that way to Kotori? She can barely stand to be in the same room as me!"

"You call this fun?" Eli sighed, rolling her eyes skyward. "Nozomi…"

"Wha..?!" Umi jolted in surprise, drawing Eli's attention toward her. She was staring through the window, her eyes wide. Following her gaze, Eli found herself just as shocked as she watched Kotori lean in and press her lips to Future Honoka's. A gasp echoed around the group and Eli barely managed to untangle herself from Nozomi to catch Umi, who'd fainted at the sight.

Honoka glanced toward Umi, alarmed by the sight of her friend falling into Eli's arms. What alarmed her more was the sight of her future self and Kotori kissing before her very eyes. "What…?" She could hardly believe what she was seeing. "W-Why is she kissing KOTORI-CHAN?!" She hurriedly turned away from the window, covering her eyes. She hadn't wanted to see that, of all things. "It's not fair! I know she's me but it's not fair! Kotori-chan already likes her more and now she's taking her away from me for real!"

Nozomi watched as Honoka stomped her foot angrily and promptly burst out laughing at the overdramatic action. It was too funny, for Honoka to be jealous of herself for kissing the person she liked.

"Nozomi!" Eli admonished, struggling to stand under Umi's dead weight. "A little help here?!"

Somehow the sight of Umi unconscious only made Nozomi laugh harder and she gripped her sides with the force of it.

"So you like spying on people, huh?"

Nozomi's laughter promptly died out at the sound of Future Honoka's stern voice. Hesitantly, she looked up and found Future Honoka standing a couple of feet away, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"You!" Honoka didn't seem to be the least bit surprised to see her future self standing there. In fact she looked livid. "Why did you kiss Kotori-chan?!"

Future Honoka rolled her eyes at the younger version of herself. "I'll kiss whoever I like." Her gaze shifted toward Eli, who was struggling to hold Umi up. "She fainted? Pathetic." She stepped forward and gripped Umi's arm. Stooping, she threw the teenager over her shoulder before she stood. "I'll take care of her, don't worry."

Eli gaped at how effortlessly Future Honoka had picked Umi up. "But don't you…" she trailed off helplessly. It was no secret that Future Honoka held a certain contempt toward Umi. Although the second year didn't show it, Eli know how much it hurt her to be rejected by her best friend.

"I'll be on my way." Future Honoka offered a casual wave as she began to walk off with Umi slung over her shoulder. She didn't get more than a few steps before she disappeared in the blink of an eye, taking Umi with her.

Honoka gaped at where her Future self had been a few seconds ago. "Did that really just happen?"

Eli gave a slow nod in response, just as confused by Future Honoka's actions. "Your future self is confusing, Honoka." She cast a thoughtful glance at Honoka though she was quickly distracted by the arrival of a breathless Kotori.

"Where did Honoka-chan go?" She asked, glancing around for any sign of the older girl. When she'd returned to the table she'd found the money to pay for the food waiting for her but no Honoka.

"I'm right here." Honoka muttered miserably, scuffing the toe of her shoe against the floor. It was hardly fair that her future self had taken Kotori and Umi away from her. Literally in Umi's case.

"Um…she had to go. She took Umi with her." Eli answered uncertainly as she glanced toward the spot where Honoka had disappeared. "So…you kissed her, huh?"

Kotori felt blood rush to her cheeks. "You saw that?! How long have you been standing here?"

"What was it like?" Nozomi moved toward Eli and grasped her hand though her gaze remained fixed on Kotori. "Was she a good kisser? She seems like she would be a good kisser, doesn't she Elichi?"

Eli nodded in response and waited for Kotori's answer.

The ashen haired girl just turned even redder at the question. "She was…it was nice. She's a good kisser."

"If I wasn't with Nozomi I'd kiss her too." Eli commented, earning herself an amused look from her girlfriend. She knew that Nozomi wouldn't take what she'd said seriously. The trust between the two of them was too strong. Noticing movement out of the corner of her eye, she glanced in Honoka's direction and noticed the other girl was twitching slightly, her hands clenched into fists. "Uh…Honoka? Are you alright? I was just kidding."

Nozomi grinned at Eli and bumped her playfully with her shoulder. "You're lucky I trust you so much, otherwise I'd be worried. She is pretty hot though so…"

"What is wrong with all of you?" Honoka exclaimed loudly, the hurt tone of her voice far outweighing the anger that accompanied it. "I'm standing right here! All any of you talk about is her! And Kotori-chan…" She cast an especially pained look toward Kotori whose eyes widened in surprise. "Forget it. I'm going home."

Eli sighed as she watched Honoka begin to stalk away. "I'll get her." She told Nozomi and Kotori. She let go of Nozomi's hand and hurried after Honoka to calm her down.

Nozomi watched pensively as Eli tried to reason with Honoka. "You realize you just kissed Honoka-chan, don't you?" She asked, looking toward Kotori with a raised eyebrow. "They may seem different but they're the same person."

Kotori blushed as she watched Eli trying to keep Honoka from crossing the street. Nozomi was right, she knew. She'd had feelings for her best friend for a long time but they had only grown stronger when Future Honoka had shown up. She wondered if it was the way Future Honoka looked at her that had her so infatuated with the older version.

—

Upon teleporting to the roof of the hotel she was staying in, Future Honoka took a deep breath as she looked out over the city lights. She adjusted her grip on Umi's legs in case she slipped and gave herself a moment to think. She hadn't wanted to take Umi back to her own house in case she ran into the younger girl's mother. She didn't trust herself not to do anything when confronted by the woman who'd caused so much trouble in the future.

"Right." She muttered to herself as she turned away. She couldn't stand there all day and she doubted Umi would stay asleep. She couldn't imagine being slung over her shoulder was very comfortable. She made her way down from the roof, careful not to run into anyone. She almost did in the corridor and she found herself questioning why she'd even brought the teenager with her. She could have easily left her with Eli and the others and yet she hadn't.

She let herself into her hotel room and closed the door behind her with a sigh of relief. If anyone had spotted them it would have just led to questions she wasn't prepared to deal with. She made her way to the unmade bed and shoved aside the blankets with her free hand. Carefully, she lay Umi down on the bed and covered her with the messy blankets.

"I need a drink." She muttered to herself, running a hand through her hair. After what had happened with Kotori at the restaurant she felt like she needed several drinks. She crossed the room and poured herself a glass of Shochu. She took a drink and taking the bottle with her, made her way back to the bed. She sat on the edge, watching Umi's brow furrow in her sleep. She sighed softly at the sight and reached out to brush a strand of navy blue hair away from Umi's face.

Umi turned into the gentle touch and Future Honoka found herself wishing for simpler times. A time when she had loved Umi without question or regret. Now it was so complicated. She didn't know how she was supposed to feel about Umi. She still loved her, there was no doubt about that, but forcing herself to hate her best friend couldn't be easily forgotten. After what Umi had done, or after what it had seemed like she'd done, she didn't know how to forgive her. The betrayal ran too deep.

"What am I going to do with you?" She whispered into the silence of the room. Quickly pulling her hand away, she downed her drink.

—

Umi woke to a scent that was somehow familiar and yet unfamiliar at the same time. She shifted slightly, only half awake and found herself enveloped by the comfortable warmth of blankets. Only they weren't hers. Her eyes shot open in surprise and she pushed herself up, quickly scanning the room. It was a hotel room, there was no doubt about that. Finding another person with her, she relaxed a little bit.

Future Honoka was curled up in a chair not far from the bed, a bottle clutched tightly to her chest. Her mouth was slightly agape, her chest moving slowly up and down as she slept. There was something surprisingly innocent about it and Umi found a small smile tugging at her lips. It seemed that in her sleep, Future Honoka looked a lot more like the Honoka Umi knew.

She tried to recall how she had gotten there and vaguely remembered watching through the window as Kotori kissed the future version of their friend. She buried her head in her hands, a groan of embarrassment escaping her. She must have fainted, prompting Honoka to bring her to her hotel room. It was so humiliating.

At the sound of shifting, she looked up and found Future Honoka slowly waking up. She waited with baited breath as the older girl shifted and stretched. Her eyes dipped low and widened at the sight of the skin on display as the tank top Future Honoka had changed into rode up her stomach. Her lower half wasn't much more covered as she'd changed into short sleep shorts too. She whimpered at the sight and looked away, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"I get too hot if I sleep in thick clothes." Future Honoka said with a roll of her eyes. "Stop being such a baby. That's what got you into this mess in the first place." She stood and ran her fingers through her messy hair.

Umi felt her stomach drop at Honoka's harsh words.

"I see you still get up early as ever." Honoka continued coldly, noticing the sun was only just coming up. "I forgot how annoying that was."

Umi flinched at the observation. She couldn't help that she was an early riser. "Honoka?" She clenched the blankets in her fists. "Why do you act like this toward me? You don't with Eli, Kotori and the others." It seemed like Future Honoka loved the group dearly, at least her version of them, and yet she seemed to despise Umi. "We're not very close in the future."

"Understatement of the century." Future Honoka scoffed, grabbing a hoodie to cover herself with, at least partially. She left it unzipped, not caring all that much about Umi's embarrassment.

Umi inhaled sharply as Honoka confirmed her suspicions. She wondered if everyone felt that way, or whether it was just Honoka. "Do you hate me?"

Honoka was silent, her eyes on the ground. She didn't turn to face Umi, she just fiddled with the zipper of her hoodie.

"Honoka!" Umi pushed herself to her knees and crawled to the edge of the bed to get closer to where Honoka was standing. She reached out to grip Honoka's hand only for her own to be lightly slapped away. She bit her lip, tears gathering in her eyes despite her best efforts. Honoka pushing her away, coupled with the lack of an answer was all the answer she really needed.

"Why?!" She asked, her voice broken with emotion. "What did I do to make you hate me so much? I need to know. I need to…" She lowered her head, a pained sob escaping her throat. She didn't notice Future Honoka look up sharply, too engrossed in her own grief. She needed to know what she'd done so she could fix it. She couldn't let her Honoka grow to hate her like this one did. It was unbearable.

Future Honoka watched as Umi broken into soft sobs, quietened only by the hand she had pressed against her mouth. The fact that she had caused it had her eyes prickling. Before she could really think about what she was doing, she had moved forward, pressing one knee against the bed and pulled Umi close to her.

Umi's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden move but she quickly accepted the comfort. She sobbed into Honoka's chest, the older girl's hand pressed against the back of her head to keep her there. Fearing that Honoka would push her away again she clung to the back of her hoodie.

Future Honoka waited until Umi quietened before she slowly loosened her grip. "I can't tell you why. Not yet. Just know that this is going to be your own decision. If you want to, you can change your future…but you can never change what I remember." Nothing could take away the memory of Umi's betrayal. It had crushed her. She eased away from Umi and stepped back, meeting her teary eyes. "I'm sorry."

Umi stared at Honoka, shaken by the news that she would have to make the decision. She didn't know how to make it, she didn't know if she could. She noticed Honoka getting up to walk away. As the older girl turned away from her, she gripped the hem of her hoodie, causing her to stop.

Future Honoka held her breath, uncertain as to what Umi was going to do. A few seconds later she felt Umi's forehead come to rest upon her lower back and she let out a shaky breath.

The tears, which Umi had recovered from a few moments ago were back in full force. Having the power to destroy her friendship with Honoka terrified her. She hated to think that she might ruin what they had, but there must have been a reason she'd done what she had.

Future Honoka stayed still, listening to Umi's soft crying. She wanted to hate her, she wanted to push her away and scream at her for what she'd done to them but she couldn't. It still hurt her just as much as it always had to see Umi in pain. Tears spilled silently down her own cheeks and she pressed her hand to her mouth, determined to stay quiet. She wouldn't let anyone see her weakness. She couldn't.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Double chapter coming up! Warning for swearing, violence, angst and some sexual scenes for both chapters.**

 **bobzity1: ha, you have to be a masochist to read this…but I should hopefully be updating every couple of days and I have plenty of chapters. :)**

 **Aethuran: I'm kind of improving in the sense I'm skimming through in search of errors and whatnot but I don't want to change it too much because it might complicate things. If you need a link for that chapter just let me know and I should be able to find a way to send it over. Somehow. :)**

It was a few hours into training and the group were beginning to complain that they were exhausted. Even Umi, who usually pushed herself, was beginning to look worse for wear. It wasn't until Hanayo collapsed to her knees, out of breath and sweaty, that Future Honoka finally decided to call the session to a stop.

"Alright, let's…" She stopped, her eyes widening in surprise as a ball of blue fire came soaring toward her. Instinctively, she leaned to the side to avoid being hit but the flames grazed her shirt on the way past, causing the fabric to burst into flames. She hurriedly began patting herself to put them out and winced as the flames licked at her skin.

"Honoka-chan!" Kotori cried out, hurrying forward to help. Umi and Eli moved too, though Future Honoka stepped away from Umi. Even while on fire, it was hard for her to stand being next to her.

"Shit!" She grabbed the hem of her shirt and yanked it over her head, tossing it quickly to the floor. She cast a dark glare at Eli when she was done stamping the flames out. When she was done, she stopped, allowing Kotori to get closer to her. "What the hell, Eli? Can't you throw in a straight line?"

"Um…" Eli was too busy staring at Future Honoka's stomach, her mouth slightly agape with shock as she took in the ripple of muscles beneath her skin. "I don't…um…what?"

Umi felt her face flush crimson as she took in the sight of her half naked best friend. Even at the hotel she hadn't seen that much. Her hand twitched at her side, almost reaching out to touch but she managed to hold herself back.

Honoka twitched slightly as she glanced down at herself. She certainly didn't look like her future self. Maybe she needed to cut down on how much bread she ate.

Nozomi let out a low whistle as she wandered over to Eli. She made no secret of the fact that she was checking Future Honoka out. "Damn Honoka-chan. Kotori-chan is so lucky."

Kotori blushed at the observation and glanced up at Future Honoka, a shy smile tugging at her lips.

Future Honoka felt Kotori's hand come to rest on her lower back, a shiver running down her spine at the coolness of it. The move was almost possessive and she had to bite back a smile herself. It was so unlike Kotori to act that way, though she had seen that side of her on rare occasions.

Maki and Nico exchanged a glance, confused by that observation as well as how close the young adult had allowed Kotori to get to her.

Honoka and Umi grumbled under their breath, both slightly irritated with the attention being bestowed up Honoka's future self. They both had very different reasons for the annoyance though and Umi hadn't stopped staring yet.

"Um…Honoka-chan?"

Future Honoka glanced up at the sound of the small familiar voice. She was surprised to find Hanayo standing there, a jacket in hand. Rin was hovering apprehensively behind her. It seemed that the two first years were still quite wary of her.

"I thought you might be cold." Hanayo explained sheepishly, handing over the light jacket she liked to wear after they'd finished training or practice.

"Thank you, Hanayo." Future Honoka said quietly as she reached out to take the jacket from her. She tugged it on though it was considerably too small for her. Certainly too small to zip up.

"Wait." Nozomi suddenly sounded serious, the teasing tone from her voice completely dissipated. "What's that?" She strode forward until she was standing right in front of Future Honoka and reached out to touch the cross around her neck.

Future Honoka's eyes widened when she realized what Nozomi was about to do. "Don't!" She stepped back quickly, out of Nozomi's reach.

"Is that Elichi's cross?" Nozomi asked, confused by why the precious piece of jewellry would be around Honoka's neck. "Where did you get that?"

"It's my Eli's." Future Honoka answered defensively. The small cross was the only thing she had left of Eli and there was no way she was going to let anyone take it from her. "She gave it to me when she…died." She remembered finding the necklace in Eli's hand with startling clarity. Somehow she had known that Eli had taken it off to give to her. She held her breath as Eli herself came closer to inspect the necklace. She didn't put up a fight when Eli reached out to run her fingers over it. It was hers, after all.

"I didn't know you two were that close." Nico commented dryly, glancing between the two. The observation earned her an eye roll from Maki.

"We are." Future Honoka said sharply, her gaze turning toward Maki. They couldn't understand. They couldn't possibly understand the dynamic of her relationship with Eli. "We were…it's not the same as her relationship with Eli." She nodded jerkily toward her past self. "It's just different in the future."

Kotori reached up to place a gentle hand on Future Honoka's shoulder to soothe her.

Future Honoka felt herself relax unwittingly beneath the gentle touch. Be it in the past, present or future, Kotori seemed to have that effect on her.

"Different how?" Eli said softly, glancing up at Future Honoka from the cross. "I would never take this cross off. If I was going to give it to anyone I would give it to Nozomi." Surely she couldn't have been separated from Nozomi in the future. "Honoka…how did you say I died?"

Future Honoka flinched at the question but Kotori was still there, silently supporting her. "You died to save my life. You knew I was going to die and you threw yourself in front of me to protect me." She felt herself choke up at the memory of how Eli had drawn her head protectively to her shoulder, using her body and her power to shield her. The flames she had emitted hadn't been hot as they usually would have been. They were warm. They were Eli's. She hesitantly met Eli's shocked gaze.

"Were the two of you dating in the future?" Nozomi's comment was blunt and slightly defensive. She couldn't help it. She couldn't imagine not being with Eli. The idea that Eli could have been dating, or at least been intimate with, Future Honoka had been on her mind since the time traveller had mentioned the scar on Eli's inner thigh. Besides that, there was something about the way she looked at Eli. "Is that why she gave it to you and not me? The two of you were…"

"Shut up!" Honoka's voice rose, the limited self control she had been clinging to finally snapping completely. It wasn't as simple as her 'dating' Eli. Their relationship was more important than that. "Eli-senpai was my only family after Yukiho cut ties with me! We were the only people who could understand each other. So no, Nozomi. We're not sleeping together. Eli-senpai was far more important to me than that. She was a protective older sister. Someone I could trust with everything without question. Someone I would do anything for. Of course she would give me this. Of all people, it would be me."

"Honoka…" Eli whispered, stunned by Future Honoka's confession. She didn't think she'd heard that much emotion in her voice since they had first met her. She glanced toward the past version of the young woman standing in front of her and her heart sank at the sight of tears streaming down her cheeks. Having recently learned that she'd lost Arisa in the future, she knew how Honoka felt.

Umi gripped Honoka's hand tightly, wishing she could do more to comfort her. She was embarrassed that she almost felt jealous of Eli's relationship with Honoka in the future. It was a stark contrast to her own future relationship with her best friend.

Future Honoka was breathing heavily after her speech, her chest heaving slightly. Unconsciously she gripped the cross in her fist. She wished her Eli was there now. She wished none of them had had to die for her. They should have just left her with A-Rise. None of this would be happening if they had just left her behind.

Nozomi stared at Future Honoka's fist, clenched around the small cross. She couldn't say anything as she took in what was being said.

"A sibling relationship is stronger than most." Future Honoka's voice shook slightly as she spoke but she did a good job of disguising it. "Eli-senpai and I would have done anything for each other. That includes dying."

Kotori, who had been watching Future Honoka through teary eyes noticed a glimmer of moisture, brightening Honoka's usual sky blue orbs. With a sharp inhalation, she realized what was about to happen. "Honoka-chan, let's go. Come on."

Future Honoka was taken aback by the teenager's gesture, but allowed the girl to guide her back inside the school building. As they managed to make it to the stairs, Kotori let her hand slip from the other's wrist to her longer and slender fingers. Entwining them tightly, she walked ahead of the older woman in silence.

Future Honoka didn't process the walk to the class, too lost in the memories that haunted her. It was only when Kotori let go of her hand that she realized they had moved.

Kotori watched as Future Honoka lashed out, upheaving several chairs from the desks they'd been placed on top of. She didn't move, aware that Honoka would never hurt her. She just watched, her heart clenched in sympathy as her best friend wore herself out and finally sank to her knees amidst the destruction she'd created.

"God damnit…" Future Honoka rubbed vigorously at her watering eyes. She wouldn't cry. She refused. She couldn't stop the tears though, not for a couple of long minutes. "This is so embarrassing." Feeling a hand come to rest gently upon her chest, she looked up quickly and found Kotori kneeling in front of her, a first aid kit in her hands.

"Let me see that burn, Honoka-chan."

Future Honoka leaned back, relieved the tears had finally stopped and allowed her head to rest against the leg of the desk. She was silent, listening to Kotori quietly hum under her breath as she attentatively bandaged her burn. It reminded her of her Kotori. She had always bandaged her up. Maki had been the go to person for all things medical related but everybody was second to Kotori in Honoka's eyes.

"Do you want to tell me what happened with Yukiho?" Kotori whispered, finally finishing up. She lay her hand gently on Honoka's shoulder.

"She hates me because I didn't save Arisa." Future Honoka answered simply. There was no need for her to say anything else. It was just the truth. She sighed softly and leaned forward, resting her forehead against Kotori's chest.

Kotori felt her breath hitch at the unexpected movement but recognizing Honoka's need for comfort, she lifted her hand, resting it gently on the back of her head. "We don't have to talk about it."

Future Honoka made a tiny sound of acknowledgement. A few minutes passed as she closed her eyes, basking in the feeling of Kotori's fingers brushing through her hair. If she closed her eyes tightly enough she could pretend it was her Kotori. It had just been a nightmare and her Kotori was gently rousing her from it, ready to comfort her with sweet kisses and a tight embrace. "Kotori-chan…"

"Hmm?" Kotori paused for a moment but when Honoka didn't answer, she continued to gently sweep her fingers over the bandages on Honoka's chest, As her fingers crept above the bandage, they paused when they came into contact with slightly rougher skin. "What's this from?"

"Someone attacked my Kotori." Future Honoka whispered, seeing no reason to speak at a higher volume. "Eli-senpai isn't the only one I would have done anything for." She lifted her head, finally meeting Kotori's soft gaze. It was the same look she was used to in the future. Almost. "Kotori-chan. Can I…?" She inched her head forward slightly.

The way Honoka whispered her name so reverently had Kotori shivering. "Anything." She said solemnly though she didn't budge. Instead she waited with baited breath until Honoka leaned in slowly, hesitantly. Their lips touched gently at first until Honoka's arms went around her to hold her close.

Kotori's arms went about Honoka's neck in turn. She was painfully conscious of the fact that she was pressing against the burn on Honoka's bare chest but Honoka didn't seem to mind it at all.

Kotori gasped gently as something soft grazed against her lips. They parted slightly and a second later she was being kissed deeply. Desperately. She felt her shirt being pulled at and a familiar warmth formed in her lower stomach at the thought of just how far it would go. She knew it wasn't a good idea but she couldn't stop herself. And it was just Honoka. She loved Honoka. Her hands slipped around the young woman's back, her fingers mapping out warm skin.

"Kotori-chan…" The words were breathed out against her lips as hands pushed her blazer down. She didn't care about that. She was much too focused on kissing Honoka. "Kotori-chan…"

The taste of salt on her lips was odd. Honoka hadn't tasted like that before. Her cheeks were damp for some reason too.

"Kotori-chan…" Was that a whimper? She barely had time to consider the thought before a sharp sob caught her attention. The lips pressed against her own slipped away and she realized with a sinking feeling that Future Honoka wasn't really with her at all. She was thinking about the future Kotori, the one she'd been in love with.

Trying to ignore the ache in her chest, Kotori stayed still as Honoka sank into her, sobbing loudly into her chest. Numbly, she allowed her blazer to slide from her arms before lifting them to hold Honoka close, pressing her forehead gently upon the young adult's ginger hair.

It took a few minutes for Future Honoka to quieten but she didn't move away after.

"I'm so tired Kotori-chan." Future Honoka's voice was frail, as though she had lost all fight. "I don't want to be here anymore…without you, without Eli-senpai, I don't have anything left to fight for."

"Stop it!" Kotori's voice came sharp but choked with the tears that had started to slip from her eyes. "You can't give up, Honoka-chan. If you don't fight the future will be the same…All of this would be for nothing."

"You think I don't know that?" This Kotori was too much like the one from her future. Always reminding her of the right thing to do. "It's not good enough! All I want is my friends back and it's never going to happen."

Kotori shook her head. "Fight for me, Honoka-chan. Fight for Eli-chan and everyone else. Maybe we aren't the friends you know but we're still them in some way. Nozomi-chan's right. You and my Honoka-chan are still Honoka-chan no matter what, and I love Honoka-chan more than anything." Her voice cracked slightly and she shook her head. "Please. Just fight."

She was too smart, too in tune with how Honoka felt. Future Honoka stood up abruptly. "I have somewhere to be. I'll see you later, Kotori-chan. What just happened…it won't happen again."

Kotori opened her mouth to object as Future Honoka hurried toward the door. Before she could even speak though, Honoka was gone. Slowly she got to her feet and tucked her shirt back into her skirt. She needed to see Honoka. Her Honoka.

—

Umi gripped Honoka's hand tighter as she watched Kotori lead Future Honoka to the stairs. A sickening feeling of jealousy formed in her stomach. It wasn't fair. Unknown to her, Honoka felt the same way.

Nobody moved for a few minutes, nor did anyone speak. Finally Nico made a dash for the door, her vision blurred with moisture. She could only imagine what it would feel like to lose her siblings. She couldn't help but wonder if she had. It seemed likely.

Maki frowned to herself as she watched Nico leave. There was something odd about how quickly she had sped off.

"Come to my house." Honoka requested softly, turning to look at Umi. Kotori was ignoring her so it was only natural for her to turn to Umi under such circumstances. "I don't want to be alone tonight, Umi-chan."

The request somehow made Umi feel better. This Honoka needed her at the very least. Her Honoka still wanted her, at least she hoped that was the case. She nodded silently in response and led Honoka toward the door.

Rin placed a hand upon Hanayo's arm, noticing that she was trembling slightly in wake of Future Honoka's words. "Let's go too, Kayo-chin. We can stop for some rice on the way home, nya."

Hanayo shot Rin a grateful look and took her hand. "Do you want to come too, Maki-chan?"

Maki hesitated for a moment before finally shaking her head. The way Nico had rushed off without saying anything bothered her. The third year had been too quiet during Future Honoka's speech. "I have something I need to do. I'll walk down with you though." She cast a look at Eli and Nozomi. She didn't want to stay with the two of them. From their silence it seemed like an argument was brewing.

Nozomi watched as all three first years left the roof together, closing the door behind them. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out and she closed it again. She knew she shouldn't feel hurt by the idea of Honoka and Eli being close enough in the future that Eli would give Honoka her treasured necklace but she was. It was petty but she couldn't change how she felt.

Eli couldn't bring herself to speak either, still reeling from the news of what her friendship with Honoka had developed into in the future. She cared deeply for Honoka already but according to the girl's future self it was much more than that in the future. She cared enough that she had willingly sacrificed her own life for Honoka's. She would do that for Nozomi and Arisa without question too. If she had the choice between her own life and Arisa's there would be no question about which she would choose.

"I need to protect Arisa…I-I can't let her die." Eli finally spoke as she let her fingers take hold of the precious jewelry around her neck. Determination gleaming within her eyes, she turned to Nozomi. She had just enough time to spot the saddened look on Nozomi's face before it was hidden by her usual smile.

Sighing, she stepped forward and leaned in to gently kiss Nozomi's forehead. "You heard what Honoka said." She said softly, her hand moving to the back of Nozomi's head. She carefully rested her forehead against her girlfriend's. "You're the only person I'm going to be with in the future. Don't think anything else."

Nozomi smiled softly at the gentle reassurance. "It's everything else that I'm worried about." She admitted quietly, her arms sliding around Eli's waist. She was scared, of what was going to happen to them, and what Eli apparently became in the future. That Eli had so willingly given her life shook Nozomi to the core. "It doesn't seem like I was with you when…" She paused, unable to say the words. "Honoka-chan never told me how I died." She had asked once, though Future Honoka had paled and clammed right up.

"I don't want to know that." Eli leaned back slightly, a troubled look on her face. Deep down she hoped that she had died before Nozomi had. She would have broken if she'd had to watch something like that. Maybe that was why she had so readily given her life. "Ever."

Nozomi nodded and stepped forward to embrace Eli tightly. She wished she could forget what she had heard but the idea of Eli throwing her life away stuck with her.

—

The moment Umi stepped through the door, the smell of red bean paste hit her. She inhaled deeply, revelling in the familiar smell. It was a smell that often clung to Honoka's clothing. Inevitably it led to her thinking about her friend whenever she smelt it. She followed Honoka through the shop to the back, intent on getting to Honoka's room.

Before they could reach it, they were stopped by Yukiho stepping out into the hallway. Honoka drew to an abrupt stop, her eyes widening at the sight of her sister.

"Yukiho…" She whispered, recalling Future Honoka saying that Yukiho had cut ties with her. She couldn't imagine losing her sister. The tears that had stopped earlier were back, filling her eyes. She noticed Yukiho's eyes widen in alarm at the sight of them. Without thinking about what she was doing, she rushed forward and threw her arms around her sister.

"H-Honoka?" Yukiho automatically embraced her crying sister, her eyes meeting Umi's over Honoka's shoulder. She didn't know what was going on but it seemed like something had deeply upset Honoka. Maybe something had happened to Kotori. She couldn't help but notice the girl's absence.

The shower came on in the other room, causing Umi to flinch slightly. As far as she knew they were the only ones there. She quickly realized it must have been Yukiho, her control of her power slipping because she was so concerned about Honoka.

Realizing she needed to get Honoka away before she made things worse she moved forward and grasped Honoka's elbow to gently tug her away from Yukiho. "Let's go to your room, Honoka." She winced at the affronted look on Yukiho's face. "I'm sorry, it's complicated. I'll take care of her. Don't worry. Come on, Honoka." She led the upset girl to her room and closed the door behind them, leaving a worried Yukiho standing outside.

She waited until she heard footsteps moving away from the door before she relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief. "You need to be more careful." She said softly as she turned back to Honoka. Her best friend was wiping her tears away, having calmed somewhat. "I know it's hard but we need to keep her from suspecting anything."

"I know." Honoka muttered, sitting down on the edge of the bed. It was just so hard to see Yukiho after what she'd heard would happen. "I'll be more careful."

Umi exhaled softly at the answer. Maybe she was being too hard on Honoka. Maybe this would only be one more thing that would lead to her being hated by her best friend. The future hadn't stopped playing on her mind since that morning in the hotel room with Future Honoka.

"Honoka, do you hate me?" Umi blurted out. She needed to know one way or another if there was even the slightest bit of resentment. She couldn't imagine losing Honoka but it was becoming more and more obvious that one day she would.

"What?" Honoka sat up straighter, shocked by the question. "That's ridiculous, I love you."

Umi felt her cheeks flush at the answer. She didn't know why she had expected anything else. "Your future self hates me." She said almost accusingly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "She told me so herself. I don't know what I could have done to her in the future but she just ignores me. I don't know why she doesn't do the same to Kotori. And what's with the two of them anyway?" She was so far into her rant that she didn't notice Honoka's expression sour. "It's like they've bonded. Maybe she likes Kotori more than me in the future. Do you?" She didn't pause for a beat to wait for an answer. "Nevermind. She obviously does. They just…"

"Ahh, Umi-chan, shut up!" Honoka finally erupted, spring to her feet in annoyance. "Why does it bother you so much that she doesn't like you?! She is me, you know! Maybe I'm not as pretty as her or as smart as her right now but I will be and I'm right here! I'm so tired of hearing you go on and on about her. You and Kotori-chan, you're both as bad as each other!"

She moved to shove past Umi only for the archer to move out of the way, causing her to stumble forward, propelled by the force of her touch.

Seeing what was going to happen, Umi leaned in again to stop Honoka, only to trip over her own feet. She fell against her friend, pushing her back onto the bed. She landed heavily on top of her, resulting in a pained gasp from Honoka. She had her powers to thank for her lightning quick reflexes though she didn't have the ability to see the result of those reflexes.

"That's not fair, Umi-chan." Honoka whined, squirming beneath Umi. "You're taller than me, you have an advantage." She fell still and met Umi's eyes. They were shining brightly, amusement obvious in the half smile on Umi's face. The sight caused Honoka's heart to skip a beat, or so it felt. She wondered if Umi looked different in the future. Somehow she couldn't imagine Umi being any prettier than she already was. Was it even possible? "This isn't funny. I'm angry with you."

Umi gave a gentle hum, her eyes dipping to Honoka's lips. She noticed a sheen on them and wondered what it would be like to kiss them. Instinct kicked in and she leaned in, pressing her lips to Honoka's.

Honoka's eyes widened in shock at the sudden kiss and she lifted her hand to push Umi away. As her hand hit her friend's shoulder, she couldn't find it in herself to push her and just let it rest there instead. Tentatively, she returned the kiss. She wasn't sure what she should be feeling, she only knew that the kiss was sending tingles through her lips, seemingly to every inch of her body.

It was only the door opening suddenly that drew the two apart. Umi scrambled back off Honoka while Honoka herself sat up, her hand going to her mouth. She brushed her fingers over her lips in shock, mystified by Umi's actions. Her gaze was drawn to the doorway where a sad looking Kotori was standing. She wasn't crying but Honoka could see that she was upset about something. It was obvious in the tightness of her jaw.

"Kotori-chan, what's wrong?" She hopped off the bed and rushed toward Kotori, quickly wrapping her in a tight embrace. Her kiss with Umi was all but forgotten about.

Kotori shook her head against Honoka's shoulder. Her conversation with Future Honoka and everything else that had happened with her had left her feeling upset and anxious. What she'd just walked in on only made it worse. "I needed to see you." She whispered, holding onto Honoka as tightly as she could.

Umi stared at the two of them speechlessly. She could almost feel Honoka's lips against her own still. What had she done? Feeling tears building up in her eyes she hurried out of the room.

—

It felt like she'd been walking around the school for hours though in reality it had only been about thirty minutes. "Where the hell are you, Nico-chan…?" She mumbled, shoving her hands into her pockets. The school was creepy at night. Hardly any of the lights were on, leaving Maki to walk through the dark.

" _Come on…"_

Maki's step faltered at the sudden thought that invaded her mind. That was definitely Nico, there was no doubt about it. She pressed on, using the voice to guide her.

" _Come on, come on, come ON!"_

What on earth was Nico even doing? She sounded distressed, causing Maki to pick up her pace despite the building pain in her head.

" _Why can't I just feel something for once?! Why can't I be normal?"_

By the time she reached the classroom Nico was in she felt nauseous too, just another side effect to her headaches. The door was ajar but Maki hesitate to open it.

" _Just bleed!"_

Maki's eyes widened in alarm and she pushed the door open. She almost slammed her eyes shut, aware that she wouldn't want to see what she was going to see in the classroom. She didn't close her eyes but she regretted it. Nico was sitting on a desk, a pocket knife in hand as she cut at her arm, from wrist to elbow. There was a small pool of blood forming on the floor beneath her. Her clothes were covered in it too.

" _Why can't I just die like them?!_ " The thought was followed by a ferocious stab at her inner thigh as the red skin on her arm began to regenerate rapidly showing no sign or scars of her former wounds.

"Oh god, Nico-chan…"

—

4 years in the future

Nico woke with a sharp gasp, finding herself constricted. She thrashed to free herself from whatever it was but she couldn't break out. Looking down, she found herself adorned in a straight jacket and yelled in frustration. She needed to get out, she needed to find A-Rise and destroy them for what they'd done. She'd kill every last one of them just like they'd killed her friends. Except Honoka…she was just gone. Nico was sure she would never forget the broken, haunted expression on Honoka's face before she had left. She had seen all of their friends die. Nico hadn't. She'd been too focused on Maki. She inhaled sharply at the thought.

Maki was dead. The person she valued above all others had been killed right in front of her. She hadn't even been able to protect her. It was too horrible to be real.

A splash of water caught her attention, drawing her attention to the door which creaked open. She tensed, preparing herself as the person entered the room.

"Always getting yourself into trouble, huh, Nico-senpai? Is my stupid ex-sister being a hassle again? Typical."

Nico couldn't speak for a moment, her throat choked with emotion. "Yukiho…"

Yukiho rolled her eyes and strode forward to Nico's bed. "What did she do this time? When the team found you they said you were covered in blood, screaming about something or another."

"Yukiho, everyone's dead."

It took a second for the meaning of Nico's words to sink in. "What?!" Yukiho gasped, reaching out to steady herself with a hand on the bed. It wasn't possible. "No. The control center said it was just an extraction. Where the hell did Eli take you all?!"

Nico bit down hard on her lip and shook her head. Her eyes stung with tears she must have shed earlier but she still had plenty left apparently as they filled her eyes. "A-Rise attacked." She couldn't get more than two words at a time out it seemed. She was too afraid she would end up sobbing again.

"Wait…" Yukiho suddenly looked panicked. "Where's Honoka?!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Warning(s): Some violence in this chapter, suggestive sexual scenes. Oh and since the scenes in the future are 4 years ahead, Yukiho is 18. Just saying.**

Nico turned darkly to the door upon hearing a familiar voice. She didn't say anything and continued to think terrible thoughts. She already knew that the first year could hear her, was listening so intently for her, so why not give her a full dosage of her true feelings? With a glare Nico dug the pocket knife further into her bleeding thigh, her eyes never once leaving that of feared lilac.

 _"Why can't I just die, am I even human? I can only bleed for just a while before this damn curse takes even that away! Can you hear me, Maki? I want to DIE!"_

Maki felt tears begin to slip down her cheeks. She dropped her bag instantly and took hold of her head. The telepathic message was loud and painful. She wanted it to stop, she wanted all of this pain to just stop. She lifted her head to see more blood drip from the pale skin of the indestructible third year.

"STOP IT!" She yelled. Her legs finally able to move, she ran over to take the knife. Only to be kicked right in the stomach. Maki doubled over and crashed into some desks after the powerful hit. She landed on the ground and felt nauseous as Nico's thoughts continued to get more aggressive and unstable.

Nico looked down at the girl with no emotion whatsoever. A tiny arrogant smirk formed upon delicate features as she hopped off the desk she was sitting on. "' _Maki-chan_ '? You always were a pain in the ass, ya know?" She taunted before walking over to the unarmed girl. She pulled the knife from her thigh and let the area rebuild it's tissues and skin. When it did she bent down next to her. It took one flick of the wrist before Maki's blazer and blouse was cut open, revealing the girl's covered ample chest and flawless skin.

"Jeez for a 15 year old you sure developed quickly. Makes me really pissed…how the hell are you so blessed? Even your goddamn ability which you complain about every goddamn day isn't as bad as you think." Nico said emotionlessly. Her voice was completely void of any forced perkiness or anger that usually emitted from her in front of others. it sent a chill coursing through Maki. She'd never thought she would be afraid of Nico, but she was.

Nico knew she was a monster. She shouldn't even try to act human. The fact that she hadn't even bothered to save her friends in the future was further proof of that. "Really, you're pathetic. And you try to tell me not to take those pills? You know those are the only things that can get me to feel anything, right? Pain, pleasure, anything physical." She spoke as she walked around the younger girl with both her hands behind her back, her weapon gleaming with her dried blood. "You have no idea what it's like…"

"Oh come on Nico-chan! T-That doesn't mean you aren't capable of feeling emotions!" Maki managed to argue back. She'd already witnessed Nico crying before the older girl even noticed her presence. Why did this idiot have to be focused only on the physical aspect of what she was lacking? If anything, Nico was the most human of the group, at least emotionally. "You are human Nico-cha-" She began only for a fist to catch her square in the jaw. Nico seemed to have managed to take advantage of her distraction and was now on top of her, her knife now pressed to the area to where she was just punched.

It was cold, the metal was beginning to draw blood from her bruised skin and Maki could barely breathe as Nico straddled her bare stomach. She glanced up to see Nico's bright ruby eyes. It was terrifying, seeing them so void of emotion. Yet that didn't get Maki to stop talking. "Nico-chan I'm seri-"

"Shut up!" Nico interrupted again, pressing her pocket knife further into Maki's skin. Her mind couldn't take those words. She wasn't human. At least not as human as the rest of the group. She was the furthest of any of them. Soon enough as they got older she'd look exactly the same. Nothing of her power was normal. She was inhuman. "Stop saying that! I'm not human."

"You are, you stubborn idiot!" Maki growled as the knife finally swiped her skin. She felt blood trail down from her cheek as the owner of the knife shook against her. She could only swallow back her own terror at the situation as she continued to stare intensely into those blood red hues. She had to get through to her. She saw Nico's gaze soften, a glimmer of the fear she felt deep inside finally appearing on her face.

"You can still cry, Nico-chan, that's the biggest hint of your humanity." She whispered. Her voice cracked as she fought the tears that threatened to fall. Maki was never good at expressing her emotions, not to the extent that Nico could. It pained her to see Nico try to close herself off. She bit her lip at the sting of her cut.

"Everyone is going to die except for me, Maki. You heard what Honoka's future self said. Everyone died that day except for me and her. " Nico admitted, her tears resurfacing. Her heartbeat pounding strongly inside her chest. She felt like this was a game. Like her life was a constant loop of misery and misfortune.

"I don't have the blessing to die Maki. Death will be nothing to me, but it's all I want, because I'm going to be alone when everyone I love dies. " Nico had never said it, but it was a fear that had been with her even before Future Honoka had appeared. The bloody pocket knife slipping from her grasp as she put her hands over her face. She tried desperately to not think about her family. Cocoro, Cocoa, Cotaro, her mother. She had already lost her father, She couldn't afford to lose the rest of them.

"I hate it! I HATE MY LIFE SO MUCH!"

It was too much. Maki couldn't take seeing Nico like this. It was just wrong. It reminded her of their first encounter and the argument they had after future Honoka admitted that Nico was still taking the stimulants. Despite the soreness of her back and the sting of the cut on her cheek Maki lifted her arms and firmly wrapped them around the crying teenager. She pulled Nico down and placed her hand on the back of the girl's head in case she tried to pull away. She gently rubbed Nico's back, trying to comfort her.

 _"You aren't alone you idiot. You have me, Nico-chan. I care about you and I hate seeing you doing this to yourself."_

Maki was too weak to use her voice. In fact she didn't trust her mouth to say everything her mind truly wanted to admit. It was a defense mechanism. She always tried to hide her emotions with the facade of being aloof and rude. In truth she just didn't know what to say most of the time.

She remembered what Future Honoka said about Nico and wondered just when her relationship with Nico would start to change enough for the older girl to want to die for her, to overlook the rest of their friend's deaths to protect her.

 _"Maki…I don't understand. Why do you care about me…?"_

Nico pressed herself closer to Maki's shoulder as her tears began to dry. She was pressed up against the half naked girl and still didn't understood the kindness she was showing. She had just violated Maki, she had hurt her. Maki should hate her.

 _"I'm sorry, Maki. I'm such a mess…I don't deserve you as my friend…"_

Maki closed her eyes. She could feel Nico's heartbeat against her chest. It was yet one of the evidences of Nico's humanity that Nico kept forgetting. She tightened her arms around Nico and sobbed silently. She was just glad Nico finally opened up to her.

—

 _Four years into the future_

Silence echoed around the room in wake of Yukiho's question. Nico couldn't bring herself to speak. She didn't even know what she would say. It was becoming clear to her that Honoka's venture into the past had been unsuccessful. Wouldn't everything have changed otherwise? She was well aware of the damage Honoka's power did to her brain. It was something Maki had been constantly distressed about. Whenever Honoka had used her power in a way that was anything more than teleporting somewhere, Maki had insisted that Honoka let her look her over. It had taken up a ridiculous amount of her time, but it was just the way Maki was.

"Answer me, Nico-senpai!" Yukiho grabbed the collar of the straight jacket Nico had been put into, lifting her back and shoulders from the bed by a few inches. "Where the hell is my sister?!"

Nico swallowed heavily at the desperation she heard in Yukiho's voice. She couldn't tell her the truth - that Honoka had left, and no longer existed in their world. "She's dead." She said, her voice catching in her throat. She would never forget the way Honoka had looked at her. Even with a glance, Nico could tell that Honoka was broken. "She tried to use her power to save us all and…it was too much."

"No…" Yukiho let go of Nico's collar, allowing her to drop back onto the bed. She fell to her knees, catching herself with a hand on the bed. She hadn't spoken to her sister in over three years, though Honoka had tried to reach out several times. "Oh god…" She felt physically sick, tears pricking at her eyes. "DAMN IT! THAT IDIOT, HOW COULD SHE DIE BEFORE I…?" Her words were choked with sobs and she lashed out, her fist hitting the small table next to Nico's bed. "HOW COULD SHE DIE WHILE I STILL HATE HER?!"

She didn't, not really. Deep down she loved Honoka. She was the only real family she had left and yet she had never attempted to speak to her again after what had happened. Losing Arisa, her closest friend, had ruined her, in more ways than one.

Nico listened as Yukiho broke down into heartbroken sobs that caused even her own chest to ache. She bit the inside of her cheek, tears spilling from her eyes. She had to keep reminding herself that she had lost all of them. It didn't seem real to her. She waited until Yukiho quietened a bit before she spoke. "Yukiho, untie me…"

It took a moment but the tearful younger girl pushed herself to her feet. She clambered onto the bed to kneel next to Nico and with shaking hands unbuckled the straps that confined her. Finally she tugged it off and let it fall to the floor.

Nico didn't bother to flex her arms before she grabbed onto Yukiho and pulled her down into a tight embrace. She heard the soft gasp that escaped Yukiho at the sudden movement but she ignored it. She hadn't done anything for Honoka during the fight, while the ginger haired girl was forced to helplessly watch all of their friends being brutally murdered. But she could do something now. Her offering comfort to Yukiho was something Honoka would want. There was no doubt about that.

Yukiho sobbed unreservedly into Nico's neck, ignoring the smell of blood that seemed to reside on her skin. "I-I didn't get to tell her that I-I…" She couldn't speak any more, her entire body heaving with sobs as she clutched Nico.

Nico couldn't seem to stop her own tears either. They seemed to be never ending. "She knew you loved her." She hadn't told Maki either, not in as many words. It had been suggested once or twice but she had never said it out loud. Maki hadn't said it to her either. "She always knew."

Yukiho could only shake her head. She didn't believe Nico for a second. How could Honoka know that when her last words to her sister had been that she hated her? She could still see the crushed look on Honoka's face before she had walked away from her. For good.

Nico held onto Yukiho as tightly as she could, her own tears finally subsiding as she waited for the younger girl to calm down. It took what felt like hours until Yukiho's sobs turned to soft cries, whimpers then finally just harsh breaths against Nico's neck. She aimlessly trailed her fingers through dark hair, listening to their breathing intermingling between them. It was longer now, the brown tresses slipping between her fingers, over her hand to her wrist. It used to be much shorter, she remembered.

Finally, Yukiho pulled back, using her hands to push herself up so that she was hovering above Nico instead of resting directly on top of her. "H-How did you get away from them?"

Nico felt sick with guilt. "I ran. Honoka was the last to…" The image of Honoka's distraught face flashed in her mind again. "I ran right after. If A-Rise get their hands on my blood, everyone would be screwed. I had to leave them."

Even Maki. She had left Maki's body behind with only a quick glance over her shoulder.

Yukiho's gaze unfocused. "I'll start a recovery mission. For their bodies."

"What's the point?" Nico asked softly, her panic briefly overwhelming her. She couldn't have Yukiho find out the truth about Honoka. "Honoka…there's nothing left of her, Yukiho."

"What?" Yukiho's eyes widened at the new information. She had wanted to see Honoka one last time.

Nico swallowed convulsively. "Eli's fire…Tsubasa stole it and…she was taunting me. She…" She could barely get the words out, sickened by the web of lies she was weaving. Honoka and Eli had been closer than most of them. Of all of the lies she could have told this was especially despicable.

Yukiho's eyes were damp again, her lip trembling and Nico hurriedly reached out, her hands coming to rest on the other girl's cheeks. "Don't think about it."

The younger girl looked intently into her higher up's eyes as she began to calm down. She lifted her hands and placed them over Nico's. She squeezed them tightly as she fought the tears that were resurfacing from Nico's words. "…How can I, if its the only thing that's on my mind? Tell me how can I stop thinking about her…about them!" She asked desperately.

Nico frowned. She did feel somewhat close to Honoka's younger sister. It had all started when she found her training with her ability in the pool area of headquarters. Yukiho's ability was hydrokinesis, so she often had to train with water. She had seen firsthand how much Yukiho had been hurting after Arisa's death, after cutting Honoka out of her life. She supposed she saw a little of herself in the younger Kousaka and that had made her want to help somehow. So she'd started going to the pool every couple of days, just to check in on Yukiho. For Honoka too, though she would never have reported back to their leader about how Yukiho was doing.

Her frequent trips to the pool finally led Yukiho to teaching her to swim and they'd formed a tentative friendship through that.

"I don't know how to." She finally admitted, her own voice hoarse with emotion. If she could think of a way to block it out she would have done so already. "I don't know, Yukiho." She let her hands slide from Yukiho's cheeks to the bed. She didn't know what to do. Comforting people was Honoka's thing, not hers. She didn't know how to.

Yukiho hadn't expected an answer. There was nothing Nico could say to make her feel better. She just wanted Honoka back, she wanted a chance to do the past three years over again. The image of Eli's power being used on Honoka formed in her mind and she shook her head, trying to get it out. It wasn't something she liked picturing. It wouldn't go away and impulsively, she leaned down, pressing her lips to Nico's.

Nico's eyes widened at the sudden kiss but she quickly relaxed. This was something she could do. She was no good at comforting people but she could definitely be a distraction. She had for Maki so many times in the past. She squeezed her eyes shut as thoughts of Maki came to mind. She couldn't think about her, not without breaking down. She kissed Yukiho harder, trying to push all thoughts of Maki from her mind.

Whenever she'd come back alone from missions in the past, because the rest of her team had been killed, Maki had always been there with a gentle hand to ground her. She had always been there and now she was one of the teammates Nico was leaving behind. She was truly gone.

Hurried hands slipped under Nico's shirt and she found herself lifting her own. She shoved Yukiho's jacket off and gripped the sides of her shirt. She didn't bother to unbutton it, she just tore it open, sending buttons flying.

"Make me forget, Nico-senpai." Yukiho gasped against Nico's lips as her shirt was pushed off.

 _Nico turned onto her front, crossing her arms upon her pillows. Breathing heavily, she propped her chin up on her arms. She couldn't help but smile to herself as Maki kissed gently at her shoulder blade._

 _"I take it you don't need a check-up?" Maki couldn't speak so she merely thought it. "You didn't give me a chance to ask before you dragged me off to the bedroom."_

 _"I think you've looked enough to know that I'm fine." Nico thought back, seeing no need to speak. Maki wasn't, so why should she? "I needed it. It was a hard mission."_

 _"Clearly." Maki kissed Nico's shoulder again and pushed herself up into a sitting position. She leaned over to her bedside table, grabbing a cigarette. She placed it between her lips and lit it before taking a long puff of it. She held the smoke in for a long moment before releasing it in a perfect smoke circle._

 _"Hey!" Nico used her voice this time, hurriedly pushing herself into a sitting position. She grabbed the cigarette from between Maki's lips and crushed it in her hand. She didn't feel it burn her skin. "What have I told you about smoking after we have sex? You'll make the sheets stink of smoke. It's bad enough that you smell like it all of the time." She tossed the crushed cigarette aside. "Besides, it's going to kill you one day."_

 _Maki shrugged, her eyes on Nico. "It's either that or something else." She answered telepathically._

 _Nico huffed in response. "I thought Honoka hid all of your lighters anyway?"_

 _Maki smirked in response and shrugged her shoulders. "I have my ways, Nico-chan."_

 _Nico frowned and lightly pushed Maki's shoulder. "You should know better than this. You're supposed to be a doctor. What kind of doctor smokes?!"_

 _Maki rolled her eyes skyward and continued to think. "I need something for the stress. You don't know the hell I have to go through every day, trying to keep people alive. Hearing their last thoughts." She couldn't help but think of the young Rebel who'd died on her table just that day though she did nothing to block Nico out._

 _Nico sighed at the thoughts and images that filled her head. "Look, Maki…" Her voice was oddly gentle as she moved to straddle Maki's lap. Her arms went about Maki's shoulders. "If you need to forget, that's what I'm here for. Just come to me. You don't need this." She grabbed the lighter off the table and tossed it over her shoulder._

 _Maki looked up, her eyes shimmering with an emotion Nico couldn't place. "I'm here now." She thought, her eyes meeting Nico's intently. "Make me forget."_

 _Nico didn't respond mentally or verbally but she did lean in and catch Maki's lips with her own. That was answer enough._

Yukiho allowed herself to be shoved onto her back without warning and stared up at Nico intently. She noticed that there were tears in Nico's eyes. She was sure they matched her own. She didn't have much time to dwell on it as Nico kissed her again, hard and deep, their teeth clashing painfully for a second. She felt hands go to the belt of her jeans but she did nothing to stop them. Maybe this was just what she needed.

—

Future Honoka wasn't sure what had happened. One minute she was thinking about how she was going to train Muse to survive and the next her head ached for apparently no reason. It didn't take her long to figure out why. The memory that popped up wasn't right, it wasn't something that had been a reality before. "No…" She shook her head. Her first kiss had been with Kotori, she could remember that clearly. It had been perfect. Clumsy and a little bit nervous but perfect. She knew that her first kiss has been with Kotori, had spent quite some time reflecting on it but now it was just gone, replaced with the memory of Umi kissing her.

" _Fuck_." She hurriedly stood up from her bed and rushed for the door, her vision slightly blurred with moisture. When she got her hands on Umi, she didn't know what she would do. She fled the hotel, pulling her hood up as she stepped outside and set off at a sprint toward Umi's house. She found Umi walking back from the direction Honoka lived in and without thinking about what she was doing, she grabbed the younger girl's arm and dragged her into a nearby alley.

Umi struggled against the grip though she didn't have much time to do anything before she was shoved harshly against the wall, the hand that had previously been gripping her arm going to her collar instead. It was pulled tight around her throat and she lifted her hand to grasp Honoka's wrist. "H-Honoka!"

"Do you have any idea what you just did?!" Future Honoka's voice wasn't low and dangerous like it usually was. It was loud and furious. Choked with emotion. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"I-I don't understand." Umi stuttered as she stared at Honoka through wide eyes. There were tears in the time traveler's eyes. She had never seen that before. "I-I don't know what you're talking about, Hono…"

"You took it!" Future Honoka exclaimed, her grip on Umi tightening. "My first kiss is meant to be with Kotori-chan and you just took it from me." She caught a look of confusion in Umi's eyes and she pulled her away from the wall only to shove her back against it again. Umi doubled over slightly, the wind knocked out of her. "You took away the memory I have of it. Do you…?" She trailed off, shaking her head. Of course Umi wouldn't know how precious every single memory of Kotori was to her. "My Kotori is dead. Do you not get that?!"

Umi felt herself growing pale. Future Honoka was scary when she was angry but this went beyond anger. "Honoka, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take anything from you but…"

"But nothing!" Future Honoka snarled furiously. "You'll never take her place, Umi. Keep your fucking hands off my memories. And my past self. If you do this again, you won't just have A-Rise to worry about."

Umi bit her lip at the threat. It was unlike Honoka to do something so cruel. She glared up at the young woman and stood up to her full height so that she appeared brave. "You can't force me to stop talking to my best friend! I don't care if you hate me, my Honoka doesn't and she won't because I won't allow it to happen."

She was terrified at her sudden burst of courage. If this was the other day she would have obeyed the older version of her best friend. But something about the moment with Honoka made her feel different. She doesn't understand what was happening but Umi felt determined to keep Honoka as her friend, not enemy.

"Your best friend." Future Honoka echoed bitterly. "You're such a liar. The only person you think about is yourself. She may believe you now but she won't be so blind in the future. I'd be surprised if you feel any kind of friendship toward her. She doesn't need you."

Umi growled angrily and used all of her strength to push Future Honoka's hand away from her throat. Using the quick reflexes her powers gifted her with, she reached forward and grabbed Honoka's knife from her belt. She held it defensively in front of her. "I don't care if she needs me or not, I need her! I'm so sick of you treating me and _my_ Honoka like crap. I'm sorry that I'm not your precious Kotori, I'm sorry that I took your memories of her away but I'll never leave Honoka. Ever." Her eyes glinted even as her hand trembled slightly. It was still Honoka she was staring down, in a way. "You think I don't care about her? I do. You told us you and Eli would die for each other but I would do the same for Honoka without hesitation."

 _A hand briefly touched her shoulder, causing Honoka to glance up for a split second. She found herself met with Umi's serious expression though it was briefly replaced by a tiny smile. It was forced but she knew what it meant. 'It's okay, I'll protect you'._

 _Her gaze was quickly drawn back to Kotori's motionless body in her arms. It wasn't meant to be like this. It wasn't what they had planned together. She buried her face in Kotori's motionless chest, vaguely aware of Umi standing protectively in front of her. She zoned the rest of the fight out, right up until she heard the sound of something hitting the ground next to her. Seeing Umi on her knees, blood seeping through her fingers as she held onto her throat, Honoka felt broken all over again._

"I don't care what you say, I love…"

Future Honoka moved quickly, grabbing Umi's wrist and slamming it back against the wall. The knife fell to the ground as Umi cried out in pain. "Shut the fuck up!" She exclaimed harshly, her face dangerously close to Umi's. "Just shut up!"

Umi noticed tears gathering in future Honoka's eyes and felt her own chest constrict. "Honoka, did I…did I die with everyone else?"

Honoka hurriedly blinked away the tears, inwardly cursing herself. "Just do what I said and don't screw things up for her. If you do feel something for her you'll let her be with Kotori. That's where I'm happiest. Where she's happiest. It always will be." She let go of Umi and grabbed her knife from the ground. "So leave her alone."

"I won't." Umi was trembling in wake of the encounter but she refused to back down. She still wasn't sure why she had kissed Honoka and she didn't plan to do it again but she wouldn't lose her friend. "You'll have to kill me. I'm not going to back down from you. You're not fixing everything, you're ruining it. You know that Honoka thinks Kotori wants her to change, right? That she wants her to turn into you. I won't allow it. My Honoka will _never_ be like you."

"You know what, Umi?" Future Honoka grabbed Umi's hand again, pressing the knife into it. She lifted the hand, ignoring Umi's resistance and pressed the blade to her throat. "Why don't you prove to me just how much you love her, how far you're willing to go. Would you kill for her?"

Umi stared at the blade, noticing it was cutting into Future Honoka's neck. For a second, she thought about it. Maybe it would be easier if Future Honoka wasn't there. It wouldn't hurt Honoka nearly as much. The thought alone shook her to the core. She watched as a bead of crimson blood trickled down the blade. "S-Stop it."

"I didn't think so." Future Honoka let Umi's hand go and she took the knife from her, tucking it back into her belt. "You're weak. And selfish. You always will be."

Shakily, Umi leaned back against the wall. "How can you…?" She felt her eyes stinging with tears and hurriedly tried to blink them away, "How can you think killing is a declaration of love? Love isn't like that!"

It was so frustrating and painful to see Honoka like this, so different to her Honoka. She pushed herself away from the wall and stumbled forward, catching herself on Honoka's jacket. "You can hate me all you want, Honoka. You can tell me over and over again that I'm a traitor and you don't need me but I don't care. I love Honoka. I love every possible version of _you_. Can't you see it?" She tugged at Honoka's collar, pleading with her to look at her. "Look at me, Honoka!"

Honoka's jaw was locked tightly, her throat closed up by the lump that now resided there but she forced herself to look in Umi's direction. "I stopped loving you a long time ago, Umi-chan." It was a lie, a complete lie, but she needed to say it.

It hurt, more than Umi could have imagined to hear those words in Honoka's voice but she pushed on. She had Honoka now, she was holding onto her as tightly as she could and she refused to let her run. "If you don't love me why were you crying earlier, when I said I'd die for you? You're even more stubborn than my Honoka! Just tell me the goddamn truth. I died when everyone else did, didn't I? DIDN'T I?!"

"Why does it matter? To me, you died the second you walked away from me." Honoka growled. She was losing it. She should have never thought that she could hide anything from Umi. Even if she hated her, Honoka always felt hollow because she wasn't there to guide her, to be her voice of reason. Tears spilled silently down her cheeks as Umi dying began to replay over and over again in her head. "Fuck you, Umi-chan…I hate you! You should have never been there in the first place, I didn't _want_ you."

Umi could only imagine how her future self had felt - or would feel - at knowing the danger Honoka and Kotori were in. "If you were in danger nothing could have kept me away. If it kept you safe I would have been glad to die."

"Idiot!" Future Honoka shoved at Umi's chest though the other girl didn't move an inch. She just wanted her to let go so she could leave. She needed to reign in what she was feeling. "You're such an idiot!"

"No." Umi whispered, shaking her head slightly. "I just love you. It's not something you can stop. So stop fighting me and let me in." She finally let go of Honoka's jacket only to embrace her quickly, worried that the young adult would run away. Indeed, Future Honoka struggled for a few minutes until she fell completely still.

"Let me go. Please. I can't do this here. Not in front of you."

Umi's brow furrowed in confusion. Did Honoka mean she couldn't shed tears in front of her or was it something else? She didn't want to but reluctantly she let go of Honoka, "Honoka, I…"

Future Honoka vanished in a blink of an eye, reappearing in her hotel room. She fell onto the bed and curled up, her hands clutching at her chest to hold onto some of Umi's warmth. "Umi-chan…" Her tears came thicker and faster as she thought of the final time Umi had protected her. Had died for her even. She almost wished her Umi was there with her now, but she wasn't sure what she would do. "Umi-chan…"


	7. Chapter 7

_**Double chapter update today, hope you enjoy!**_

 _Honoka slipped into the dark bedroom, closing the door gently behind them. There was a familiar form in the bed, for which she was glad. She didn't want to be caught creeping home yet again. She stripped down to her underwear, feeling her body ache in protest of what she was doing. It had been a difficult night and she had bruises in places she didn't even want to think about.  
_

 _She finished undressing and with a wince, slipped into the bed next to Kotori. Before she had a chance to close her eyes, she felt Kotori shift next to her, an arm going about her waist as her girlfriend moved close to her. "K-Kotori-chan?" She whispered into the silence of the room. "Are you awake?"  
_

 _There was a moment of silence before Kotori spoke up. She didn't sound happy. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"  
_

 _Honoka grimaced at the question. She knew Kotori had a tendency to worry about her. "I'm sorry, I was with Eli-senpai."_

 _Kotori sighed softly against Honoka's shoulder. She had expected as much. It seemed that Honoka spent most of her time with Eli now. Ever since Arisa had died, the two had become closer. Not that Kotori was worried about their relationship. She knew that the relationship they shared was sisterly rather than anything else. She was more worried about Honoka's well being than anything else. "Of course you were."  
_

 _"I'm sorry." Honoka whispered, shifting to draw Kotori closer to her. She pressed her lips gently to ashen hair. "I didn't mean to worry you, Kotori-chan. I was going to call, I just got distracted."  
_

 _Kotori wrinkled her nose as the scent of alcohol hit her. "You've been drinking."  
_

 _"You know how Eli-senpai is." Honoka reminded Kotori gently. She pulled back just a little bit to look at her. "We were following up a lead on the person who killed Arisa. We didn't find any answers and Eli-senpai needed a drink."  
_

 _"She can't even get drunk." Kotori said in confusion. It was widely known that neither Eli nor Nico could get drunk. Eli just burned the alcohol off and Nico's regeneration made it impossible for alcohol to affect her at all. Honoka was a completely different story. At least it didn't seem like she had been drinking all that much. "How was she?"  
_

 _Honoka looked away, giving a barely there shrug of her shoulders. "She got hurt again. I had to patch her up because she didn't want anyone else to know." She felt Kotori's hand begin to move, mapping out her body in search of any injuries she might have gotten when she was out with Eli and she gave a gentle chuckle. "I'm fine. Just sore."  
_

 _Kotori glanced up at Honoka doubtfully. "Really?"  
_

 _"Would I lie to you?" Honoka asked, raising an eyebrow.  
_

 _"You would try to." Kotori said seriously. It wasn't as though Honoka hadn't done it before, for her own protection apparently, but Kotori always saw right through her. She couldn't complain anyway. She was lying to Honoka, about something major. Something that was hurting Honoka more than she would let Kotori or anyone else see. Umi. "She's going to get you killed one day, Honoka-chan. Eli-chan has a death wish."  
_

 _"Don't say that." Honoka's voice was suddenly sharp. It was true, that Eli seemed to be on some kind of suicide mission, but that didn't change anything. Honoka would still follow her anywhere. "She's just grieving. I don't care what happens, I'm not going to let her die."  
_

 _Kotori opened her mouth to remind Honoka that it had been over two years since Arisa's death but she promptly shut it again. Eli was a sore subject for Honoka. She was adamant about keeping the older girl safe though Kotori seriously doubted her ability to. If anything she would only get herself killed too.  
_

 _"Honoka…" She dislodged herself from Honoka's arms and moved on top of her instead, her body melding to familiar curves. She threaded her fingers through Honoka's, pinning her hands gently to the bed. "Do you love me at all?"  
_

 _Honoka's eyes widened in shock at the question, "What?" Her fingers curled and she tightly gripped Kotori's hands back. "What kind of question is that? Of course I love you. I love you more than anyone."  
_

 _Selfishly, Kotori almost asked if Honoka loved her more than she did Eli. Although the nature of their relationship didn't worry her, she couldn't help but feel jealous of their closeness at times. The two would do anything for each other, even going so far as to repeatedly risk their lives for the other. She wondered if Nozomi felt the same way about Eli. "Then you'll do everything you can to stay alive. Losing you would kill me, Honoka-chan. I'm not just saying that I would be sad, I mean it." She was certain she wouldn't be able to come back from losing Honoka. "You…" Her eyes glimmered with unshed tears. "I can't lose you too."  
_

 _Honoka swallowed thickly at the seriously spoken statement. She didn't know what she would do if she lost Kotori either. She had already lost Umi though she was too filled with rage toward her to even utter her name. She refused to lose Kotori in any way. But she couldn't let Eli die either. "I'll be careful." She whispered hesitantly.  
_

 _Kotori stared intently at Honoka for a moment, searching for any sign that she was lying. She didn't find any though she knew that Honoka couldn't promise her that she would be safe, especially where Eli was concerned. She sighed and lowered herself down onto Honoka, pressing her face into her neck. It was only when Honoka winced slightly that Kotori remembered that she had said she was sore and pushed herself off.  
_

 _Honoka waited for Kotori to settle down next to her before she grabbed her hand. The promise ring on Kotori's finger, matching her own, brushed against her palm and she found herself smiling despite herself. They had vowed that when everything was less complicated they would go somewhere, just the two of them, and they would live a normal life together._

 _"I wish…"  
_

 _"Me too." Kotori said softly as Honoka's thumb brushed over the ring on her finger. She leaned in and pressed her lips briefly to Honoka's. "One day."  
_

 _"One day." Honoka echoed in a whisper. Ignoring the ache she felt, she pressed herself closer to Kotori and wrapped her arms tightly around her._

Future Honoka stared down at her bare hand. There was no ring on her finger now. She didn't know where it had gone. Maybe Tsubasa had taken it from her like she had taken everything else. She didn't know. She clenched her fist and leaned her head back against the wall behind her. It was moments like this, the quiet moments when she had nothing to do but sit with her own thoughts that really got to her. That was when she missed Kotori the most. Eli and the others too, but the way she missed Kotori was different. It was like she physically ached for her.

It reminded her somewhat of the first few months after Umi had left them. She had felt that way then too, though she had hidden it from Kotori, disguising her pain with anger. She had gotten used to being without Umi now. She wondered if she would eventually grow used to not having Kotori.

 _"Honoka-ch…" Kotori's words were cut off as she choked on the blood in her throat. "H-H…" she was trying with all her might to get her words out but she couldn't. "H-Hono…"_

 _"I love you…and…Umi…tell…"_

Honoka growled low in her throat and slid her hands into her hair, gripping tightly as if she could force herself to stop remembering. The splatter of blood upon her cheek. The hurry of footsteps as Umi approached. Kotori's dazed smile at the sight of their traitorous friend.

A knock at the door drew her from her thoughts and she looked up abruptly, confused by who it might be. She got to her feet and untucking a knife from her belt, made her way to the door. She opened it, half expecting to be attacked but relaxed upon seeing Kotori standing there. Younger Kotori. Not really her Kotori, she reminded herself for the hundredth time. It was hard to look at her face and see anything but her Kotori at times. "What do you want?"

Kotori was monetarily startled by the abruptness of the question. "I wanted to see you. I was on my way to school and I know you live here so I kind of snuck up to see you." She looked suddenly sheepish and Future Honoka felt herself soften despite her best efforts.

Kotori took the opportunity to move past Honoka into the hotel room. "Umi-chan called me last night." She said quietly as she glanced around the room. She had never been in there before but she had managed to get the information from Umi. "She said that you told her to stay away from your past self."

"Yeah, I did." Future Honoka didn't bother to close the door as she turned back to Kotori. She was determined to make the younger version of her girlfriend leave as soon as possible. "I don't want to talk about it, Kotori-chan."

Kotori frowned at the answer. "You really upset Umi-chan. I don't know why you hate her but I think you need to stop being so mean to her. She hasn't done anything. Umi not talking to her would only hurt my Honoka-chan."

Honoka grit her teeth together to keep from pointing out that her first kiss had been taken. Their first kiss. She threaded her left hand through her hair in exasperation, the movement lifting the hair from her shoulder to accidentally reveal the cut on her neck.

Kotori's gaze drifted to the new skin revealed though instead of the heady feeling of attraction she usually felt her stomach plummeted at the sight of the bloody cut on Future Honoka's neck. She hadn't bothered to bandage it, or even clean it it seemed. "Honoka-chan, what happened to your neck?"

Future Honoka noticed her mistake a moment too late but by the time she had pushed her hair back into place Kotori was there, gently sweeping it away from her neck again. She held her breath as Kotori's fingers brushed against her neck.

"Nothing. I did it myself." Honoka winced as Kotori's eyes widened in shock. It was true for the most part but she shouldn't have told her that. Telling her that she had forced Umi to cut her would have been worse though. "Look, it's nothing. Please just leave me alone, Kotori-chan."

Kotori felt Future Honoka begin to move away and without thinking about it grabbed the front of her shirt to keep her there. She was surprised by the action herself, having never been so forceful with Honoka.

Honoka paused, reminded of Umi's actions the previous night. "You should be going to see your Honoka, not me." She said carefully, her chest clenching at the weight of Kotori's stare. She looked so hurt by being brushed off. Honoka couldn't help but think of her own version of Kotori. "You should be anywhere but here. I can't be around you, Kotori-chan."

Kotori tightened her grip on Honoka, silently pleading with her to stay. Her Honoka needed her, that was true, but the future version of her best friend was _still_ Honoka. "Don't push me away."

At a loss for what to do and aware that she wouldn't be able to control herself for much longer, Honoka focused on the music room of the school and closed her eyes tightly. It was too hard to be around Kotori, without wanting to hold her close and cry unreservedly. It was too hard, knowing she would never see her Kotori again.

She felt her stomach plummet as it always seemed to when she teleported and a couple of seconds later, she felt a familiar stabbing pain shoot through her head. She stumbled forward, unable to keep herself up and her knees hit the floor.

Maki, who had fallen asleep at the piano, stirred at the disturbance and slowly lifted her head. Her vision blurred for a moment but when it cleared she found Future Honoka on her hands and knees in the middle of the room.

"Honoka?!" She stumbled to her feet, rubbing briefly at her eyes. Her jaw ached from the previous night's encounter with Nico but she wasn't too worried about it. She had bandaged it already so it wouldn't get infected. She moved over to the future version of her friend and crouched down next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"

"I'm fine. This…just happens sometimes when I teleport." Future Honoka looked up after a moment, meeting Maki's concerned gaze. She didn't fail to notice the way the redhead's eyes widened. "Oh…" She lifted her hand, swiping beneath her nose. The back of her hand came away wet with blood. "That sometimes happens too. Don't worry about it. It's nothing."

"Nothing?" Maki echoed skeptically. It didn't look like nothing to her. If Honoka's nose was bleeding there had to be a reason. She caught a glimpse of something red on Honoka's neck and frowned thoughtfully. "Hey, what's this?" She pressed her hand to Honoka's cheek, urging her to turn her head. She froze at the sight of the bloody cut. It had obviously happened recently though not in the past few hours.

"Guess I shouldn't play with knives." Honoka said, forcing a smirk to her face. It wasn't funny that she had forced Umi to cut her, but she didn't care all that much.

"You're still an idiot in the future then." Maki grabbed Honoka's arms and stood, tugging her up with her. "Just sit down, I'm going to get the first aid kit."

"Whatever you say, Maki." Honoka pulled away from Maki and walked over to the piano herself. Ideally she would have liked to be alone but even this was better than having to see Kotori. Part of her wanted to stay with the ashen haired girl, to never leave her side, but it was unrealistic. This Kotori wasn't her Kotori. She sank down onto the piano bench, trying to ignore the way the room swam around her. A few minutes later she felt Maki join her and released a slow breath.

"Did you get into a fight?" Maki asked quietly as she began to clean the cut. It wasn't deep, it was just a flesh wound really.

Future Honoka hummed softly in response and closed her eyes. It helped dull the pain in her head a bit though it did nothing to soothe the ache she felt in her chest. Sitting like this with Maki, it was too easy to remember the times her Maki had tended to her wounds. She didn't open her eyes again until she felt Maki press a bandage to her neck. When she did her vision was cleared unlike a few moments before. She noticed the bandage on Maki's cheek instantly and sucked in a sharp breath.

"You're hurt!"

"I-" Maki paused as Honoka reached up and brushed her fingers against the bandage she had applied. Her jaw was still hurting from where Nico had punched her but the touch didn't hurt at all. Honoka was a lot gentler than Maki had thought she'd be. "I took care of it."

An irritated look crossed Honoka's face. Somebody had obviously hurt Maki intentionally. "Who did it?" She half stood from her seated position, reaching for the blade at her belt only for a wave of dizziness to hit her.

"Whoa!" Maki grabbed Honoka's arms, spotting her begin to stagger. She forcefully sat her back down on the piano bench. "It's fine, alright? I took care of it. It's not going to happen again. It's not like you're in any state to beat anyone up right now anyway." She waited for a nod before she carefully let go of Honoka.

"Are you going to tell me who did it at least?" Future Honoka asked, lifting her eyes to Maki. At least that way she could confront them later.

"Are you going to tell me how you got that cut?" Maki countered, raising an eyebrow. She couldn't help but smile when Future Honoka sighed and looked away. "I didn't think so."

Honoka was silent for a few long moments, scuffing the toe of her shoe against the floor. "Play something for me, Maki." She said eventually, her voice so soft that Maki barely heard it. "I miss hearing you play."

Maki wasn't sure why but for a moment she couldn't speak past the lump that formed in her throat. She swallowed thickly. "What do you want me to play?"

Honoka thought about that for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly. "Aishiteru Banzai?"

Maki was surprised by the request. She had expected Honoka to tell her to play whatever she wanted but she hadn't. "Um…sure. If you want." She turned toward the piano, noticing Honoka sliding off the bench to sit on the floor instead. It was an odd choice though she chose not to ask.

Future Honoka leaned her head back against the piano bench Maki was sitting on and waited with baited breath for her to start playing. When the first notes rang out, Honoka felt herself relax. They had done this quite a lot in the future, when Honoka needed to relax. She would always go to her Maki who would begrudgingly agree to play for her.

She was surprised when Maki began to sing the lyrics to the song too instead of just playing the instrumental. Her Maki never sang. She couldn't. She listened intently, her thoughts straying to Maki from the future. She had a lot of problems, smoking being one of them, but she had always been there for Honoka when she needed her, whether it be saving her life after a mission, yelling at her for being so reckless or even for her to just crawl into bed with when Kotori wasn't there.

She hugged her knees close to her chest, letting Maki's voice wash over her. She hadn't heard it in so long and she'd missed it terribly. She missed Maki. Tears pooled in her eyes as she continued to listen to Maki sing. She couldn't stop them so she simply let them stream freely down her cheeks. It wasn't fair, none of it was fair.

After a short while the playing stopped and Honoka hurriedly wiped at her tears in case Maki turned down. She didn't, and impulsively, Future Honoka pushed herself to her feet and wrapped her arms around the redhead from behind.

Maki inhaled sharply at the sudden, slightly too tight embrace but she quickly relaxed. She supposed she could understand in some ways.

"I'm sorry I punched you." Honoka felt the need to apologize as Maki's bandaged cheek brushed against her own. "I was just afraid and confused."

"Right." Maki said softly. She could understand that. It was what had fuelled Nico the previous night when she had attacked her. She couldn't blame either of them. "It's fine." She closed her eyes and leaned back into the embrace. As soon as she did she was hit with thoughts and memories that weren't her own. Yelling at Honoka for getting hurt, begrudgingly pulling her covers aside to allow Honoka crawl into bed with her, playing piano for the older girl to console her. She hadn't meant to see those and yet for some reason she had.

"Honoka…" Maki turned her head shakily and found herself face to face with the older girl. "I…smoked in the future?"

Honoka's eyes widened at the question and she struggled to figure out how Maki knew that. She had obviously let her guard down a bit too much. "Y-Yeah. It's a horrible habit, I keep telling you…"

Maki gave a slight smile and reached up to grip Future Honoka's arm. "Thank you. For trying to hide my lighters."

Honoka's face showed surprise for a moment before she broke into a soft laugh. It was so ironic. She had told Maki she would thank her for that some day and here she was doing just that. "It's not like I could keep you from smoking. You used Eli-senpai as your personal lighter most of the time."

Maki wasn't sure why but she was glad to hear more about the future. At least she still had her friends. A part of her had worried they would drift apart but that didn't seem to be the case.

"Will you sleep with me, Maki…?" Future Honoka asked the question so bluntly that Maki's eyes widened for a moment, her thoughts plummeting to the gutter. She had tried to seem unaffected when Honoka had had to strip off her shirt on the roof though honestly, how could she not be slightly attracted to the older version of her friend. "Maki-chan always helped me sleep if Kotori-chan and Eli-senpai weren't there."

Future Honoka suddenly sounded heartbreakingly young and Maki found herself struggling to answer again. "For a bit. I was going to skip first period anyway. My head is hurting."

"Mine too." Honoka let go of Maki and stood up straight. "I'll teleport us to my hotel room."

Maki raised an eyebrow as she turned around, swinging her legs over the piano bench. "You think I'd let you take me to a seedy hotel room?" She shook her head and stood up. Besides that, Honoka obviously wasn't in any condition to teleport anywhere. "I have a futon in here. Lock the door."

"Really, Maki? In the music room?" Honoka asked, her tone slightly teasing. "You're such a nerd."

Maki shot Honoka a dark look and went to pull the futon out. By the time she was done, Honoka had locked the door and shakily returned to her side. They were both awkwardly silent as they slipped into the futon.

"Don't tell the others about this, alright Maki?" Future Honoka asked in a hushed voice. She already felt guilty enough for showing such weakness to Maki.

"Obviously." Maki muttered. She held her breath as she felt Future Honoka move close to her back, an arm going around her waist.

"This is weird." Honoka said after a moment, struggling to get comfortable. Usually their position was the other way around. This was just odd. "God, you're so short, Maki-chan."

"Hey!" Maki sounded affronted as she turned around in Honoka's loose embrace. "If that's how you feel maybe you should sleep with someone else, like Eli."

Pain flashed briefly across Honoka's face but she pasted a smile in place to avoid showing it. "I'm sorry, I just mean you're shorter than I'm used to."

Maki huffed at the answer but moved closer, laying her head on Honoka's chest. "Just go to sleep." It was slightly embarrassing but that feeling faded after a few minutes and she quickly fell asleep.

—

Umi walked alone to school, having been told by Yukiho that Honoka was still sleeping. Knowing her friend well enough to know she wouldn't wake for a while, Umi had decided to go on without her. Kotori wasn't waiting for her as usual either though she finally caught up with her in the entrance hall.

"Did you see her?" She asked, coming to a stop next to Kotori. Thankfully there was nobody nearby but she still kept her voice down.

Kotori nodded as she tucked her outside shoes into her locker. "Yeah. She didn't want to talk to me. She's pushing me away, I can tell." She shut the locker a bit harder than she should have and sighed heavily.

Umi frowned at Kotori's annoyance. "Why do you care about that?" At least Future Honoka didn't hate Kotori like she hated her. It seemed to be quite the opposite in fact. Honoka had looked devastated the previous night.

"What?" Kotori looked baffled as she glanced over at Umi. What did that even mean? "Because she's Honoka-chan. Why wouldn't I care?"

Umi clenched her jaw, trying not to come out with something she didn't mean. "She seems fine without you."

"She's not. You don't know her, Umi-chan. Not like I do." Kotori said with a shake of her head. She was the only one who'd seen Future Honoka for who she really was. She was the only one who knew how deep Honoka's love for her was. "I'm not leaving her."

"What about _our_ Honoka?!" Umi exclaimed in a whisper. She hated feeling angry with Kotori more than anything. "You're so wrapped up in your crush on her future self it's like you've forgotten that she's your best friend. She needs you, Kotori and you've just _left_ her!"

Umi's accusation gave Kotori pause. That wasn't true, not at all. "I can't believe you just said that, Umi-chan. Honoka-chan has lost _everyone_ , don't you get that?" It broke her heart, to think of Honoka going through something so awful in the future. "She's the one who needs me now, not our Honoka-chan. I'm not leaving either of them."

"Are you kidding?!" It was so frustrating, to have to hear this from Kotori. If Honoka needed anyone at the minute, it was Kotori. "She's losing herself, Kotori. She feels insecure, neglected, anxious…she thinks you care about her future self more than you care about her! Do you?"

"What?" Kotori's eyes widened slightly and she quickly shook her head. "Of course I don't! She's my best friend. I love her!"

"Did you know I caught her not eating?" That wasn't like Honoka at all and it had terrified Umi, enough to lead to this argument with Kotori. She never argued with Kotori. "If you were her best friend you would have noticed her goddamn behavior, Kotori!"

If it had happened before Future Honoka came along, Umi was certain Kotori would have already been taking care of it.

Kotori was stunned into silence by Umi's uncharacteristic cursing. She didn't know how to respond to what her best friend had said and she hurriedly turned around and walked away, trying not to let tears blur her vision. Maybe Umi was right. Maybe she was neglecting Honoka.

Umi opened her mouth to call after Kotori but promptly closed it again. She didn't know what to say either. Hearing movement near her she looked in that direction, her stomach plummeting when she saw Honoka. "How much of that did you hear?"

Honoka shrugged, not meeting Umi's eyes. "A lot." She bit her lip, her eyes prickling slightly. "She really doesn't want to be here, hmm?"

Umi noticed something and stepped closer. "What's this?" She lifted her hand, running her fingers gently through Honoka's hair. It fell loosely around her shoulders. "Your hair is different." It was obvious what Honoka was doing. She was trying to win Kotori's attention back. It pained Umi to watch. She dug into her bag, finding a spare hair tie. Silently, she reached forward and gently scooped a portion of Honoka's hair up. She tied it up with the hair tie before she leaned back to assess her work. "There. That's more like my Honoka."

Honoka felt the tears she'd struggled so hard to keep at bay fill her eyes and she surged forward, her arms going around Umi's waist.

Her encounter with Future Honoka last night plus her Honoka's sudden desire to change herself had left Umi shaken and she returned the embrace tightly. She didn't care about the looks they earned from the other students. She didn't even notice them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Double chapter update so don't forget to read the last chapter! :)**

Honoka charged straight ahead, hoping to catch Rin off guard with an attack. It seemed that Rin knew she was coming though as she dodged to the left and shoved Honoka as the girl charged past her. Honoka stumbled as she tried to stop, almost falling flat on her face. Her momentum was too great and she used her teleportation at the last second.

Rin swung around just as Honoka appeared behind her but she wasn't quite fast enough to dodge the blow to her abdomen. She grunted in pain but hurried forward, causing Honoka to stumble back.

Alarmed by Rin's sudden speed, Honoka clamped her eyes shut and focused on stopping time. It seemed to work for a moment but then Rin was running again while everyone else was still around them. Honoka gasped in surprise as she stumbled back again. Time started moving and suddenly she found her legs being swept out from under her. She hadn't even noticed Rin going down.

She hit the ground hard, the pain reverberating up her spine. "Ow! Rin-chan, that was too mean!"

Rin bounced to her feet and grinned happily. "I've been training on my own a lot lately to get better! So now I'm faster than you, nya!"

Future Honoka clenched her fists at her sides. This was all wrong. She was Rin's mentor in the future, there was no way the first year could be better than her. It was just embarrassing. She was a damn captain. "Have you been training at all or just sitting on your ass all day?"

"Eh…" Honoka looked up nervously, rubbing the bottom of her back. She hadn't exactly been training as much as she should have. Using her abilities gave her terrible headaches and she'd been distracted lately. "I-I um…"

Future Honoka scoffed at the stuttering. "No wonder you're so pathetic."

"Hey!" Umi, who had been standing on the sidelines had shoved past Eli and Maki as she made her way quickly over to Honoka. "Leave her alone!" She crouched down next to Honoka, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Honoka forced a small smile to her lips and nodded in response. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine." She allowed Umi to help her to her feet, wincing in pain as she got up.

Future Honoka scowled angrily at Umi's outburst. "God, I wish Maki-chan was here to tell you just how useless you're being!"

Umi watched as Honoka bowed her head in shame and in her anger she turned on the future version of her friend. "You and Maki can keep your opinions to yourselves!" She cast a scathing glare at Maki whose eyes widened in surprise at being targeted. She hadn't even said anything.

"And your hands." Kotori cut in, casting a dark glare at Maki.

"W-What?" Maki wasn't sure how everyone had turned on her in the space of a minute. "I've told you already, we weren't doing anything! We were just sleeping!"

"You walked in on them too?" Nico asked, raising an eyebrow. "So it's not just me then. How many times have you slept with Honoka, Maki?"

"You're sleeping with Honoka?!" Eli exclaimed in surprise from where she'd been standing next to Nozomi. "Honoka, she's a first year!"

Future Honoka frowned at Eli's accusation. "I'm not having sex with her, we just sleep together. I…used to sleep with my Maki-chan, Eli-senpai and Nozomi-chan all the time…" She grew quieter toward the end, looking away from Eli.

Eli crossed her arms in front of her chest. "If I find out you've been doing anything else with her I'll…" She hesitated briefly. Even with her abilities there wasn't much she could do. "Just keep your hands to yourself."

Nozomi chuckled and squeezed Eli's hand. She knew that her girlfriend was only looking out for the younger members.

Maki flushed at Eli's guarded tone. She didn't need anyone to protect her. "I'll decide for myself whose hands I want on me, Eli!" She felt her stomach plummet at what she'd said. "I-I don't mean it like that."

"Sure you don't. That's why I walked in on you clinging to Honoka while you slept yesterday." Nico chimed in, earning herself a glare from Maki.

Kotori growled under her breath at the suggestion.

Maki opened her mouth to protest but she was cut off by an irritated Umi. "We're done with training today. I'm taking Honoka to the club room so I can treat her injury."

Honoka shook her head in bemusement. "She fell on her ass, she's fine. She doesn't need to be treated."

"I'll decide that myself." Umi snapped, grabbing Honoka's hand. She didn't miss the way Honoka's eyes lingered longingly on Kotori, who didn't even seem to have noticed they were leaving. She softened her voice as she spoke to her friend. "Come on, Honoka."

"Y-Yeah…" Honoka didn't look away from Kotori, silently pleading with her to look at her. The ashen haired girl was too absorbed in Future Honoka and with a sigh, Honoka allowed Umi to lead her through the door to the stairwell.

—

"I thought I told you to keep that ice pack on if your back was still hurting." Umi commented as she walked into Honoka's bedroom to find her searching through her bag for something. The ice pack had been discarded it seemed.

Honoka froze for a few seconds at being caught, eventually glancing up at Umi. "My back doesn't hurt anymore."

"Liar." Umi said accusingly though her tone wasn't nearly as harsh as it usually would have been. "Just sit down and put the ice pack back on or it'll hurt worse later." Her eyes narrowed when Honoka went right back to what she was doing. "Honoka."

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just…aha!" Victorious, Honoka emerged with her cell phone and a bright smile.

For some reason Umi felt something clench in her chest at the sight of the smile. It wasn't something she saw nearly as often as she would have liked to since Future Honoka showed up. Her chest grew tighter as Honoka checked her phone and her smile slipped away immediately. She watched as Honoka began to type hurriedly, her brow furrowed. Not wanting to interrupt, she waited until her friend was done with her frantic typing.

"You still haven't changed out of your uniform." She prompted, nodding toward the shirt Honoka was wearing. It seemed Honoka was so focused on whatever she'd been doing with her phone that she had completely forgotten about everything else she was meant to be doing. "It's going to get soaked."

"Right!" Startled, Honoka put her phone down on her bed and began to unbutton her shirt as quickly as she could. Her thoughts turned back to Kotori as she numbly peeled her clothes off. She'd sent her friend three messages already but she wasn't answering. Usually she never ignored her.

Umi's eyes widened in surprise as Honoka started stripping right in front of her. It wasn't as though it was something she hadn't done before but Umi was still surprised by it. Before she could say anything, she found her eyes glued to Honoka's stomach. She had lost weight it seemed, though Umi wasn't sure when that had happened, and she looked quite a bit more toned.

She found herself struggling to breathe as Honoka removed her skirt. Her eyes followed the fabric, the subtle ripple of muscles in her best friend's thighs causing her fingers to twitch at her sides.

"H-Honoka…" Her face felt like it was on fire as she clenched her hands into fists. She wanted to reach out and touch her, more than anything else, but she couldn't. She didn't know how Honoka would react. They hadn't spoken again about the kiss they had shared, nor had they done anything like that again. Besides that, if she did anything Future Honoka would know and she'd rather not be punched. "Y-You've been working out?"

"Huh?" Honoka glanced at Umi and followed the blue haired girl's gaze. "Oh! Yeah, you noticed?" She laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of her neck, the movement of her arm only showing off more to Umi, who almost choked in surprise. "I've been doing a lot of running."

Had it been a week ago, Umi would have been more concerned that the reason for the weight loss was Honoka not eating, but she'd been keeping on top of that, making sure it didn't happen again. "Running?"

"Yeah, and lifting too! See?" Honoka walked right up to Umi and flexed a bicep, drawing Umi's attention to her arm. "I thought I should try to get stronger if…if I'm going to keep you all safe."

That wasn't fair. First Honoka had practically gotten naked in front of her and then she'd just had to say something like that? How could she possibly resist that?

"Umi-chan?" Honoka innocently waved her hand in front of Umi's face, hoping to recapture her attention. Amber eyes focused on her own and she smiled at the deep blush on Umi's cheeks. She couldn't help but brush her fingers against Umi's face to feel the heat for herself. "Umi-chan is cute like this."

"Honoka." Umi groaned in embarrassment and turned her face into Honoka's hand, almost in an attempt to hide. They both froze when her lips brushed against a soft palm.

Honoka held her breath, surprised by the gentle brush of Umi's lips. After their first kiss she'd had trouble keeping her mind off those lips. She couldn't help but want to kiss Umi again, though the hurt look on Kotori's face when she'd burst in on them had stopped her. She watched as Umi reached up to grip her wrist. She thought for a moment that she was going to be pushed away but then Umi was kissing her palm again, this time firmer than before.

Umi held Honoka's hand close to her, her lips trailing down to the inside of her friend's wrist. She allowed them to rest there for a moment, feeling the gentle pounding of Honoka's pulse. It was just as fast as her own, she was sure. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from her chest at any second. There was no way she'd be able to stop herself now.

Honoka watched with wide eyes as Umi kissed her way up her arm, torturously slowly. Umi's lips were hot against her skin and occasionally Honoka felt the subtle brush of a tongue, the scrape of teeth against her skin. Unfamiliar heat pooled low in her stomach as Umi finally reached her neck and began to kiss there instead, her free arm going around Honoka's waist.

Automatically, Honoka reached up, her hand finding the back of Umi's head to hold her close. She pressed herself close to her friend, breathy gasps and moans escaping her as Umi sucked gently at the skin over her pulse point. "U-Umi-chan…Umi-chan." She grabbed Umi's free hand and was about to drag it closer to her when the door burst open.

Yukiho faltered at the sight of her sister's position. "What are you doing, Onee-chan?" She watched as Umi hurriedly pulled away and stumbled back a few steps. "You're so strange with your friends."

Arisa appeared in the doorway a moment later, having following Yukiho. Honoka squeaked in alarm and quickly tried to cover herself but Arisa didn't even seem to notice her. "Oh, Sonoda-san is here!"

Umi was blushing right up to the tips of her ears but she forced a smile. "H-Hi, Arisa. Yukiho. I was just…I was…Honoka tripped down some stairs and hurt her back. I was just taking a look."

Yukiho raised an eyebrow. To her it hadn't looked like Umi was anywhere near Honoka's back. "I just came to see what all of the noise was about. Arisa and I are going to study in my room. Play safe you two. Try to keep the noise down."

Arisa frowned, confused by Yukiho's teasing. "What do you mean by that? What are they playing?" She didn't resist as Yukiho grabbed her hand and pulled her from the room but she kept up with her questions. "Why can't we play too? We could study lat…" Her voice drowned out as she was pulled from the room.

For a few awkward seconds, Umi and Honoka made eye contact. Honoka opened and closed her mouth a few times before she spun on her heel and grabbed her clothes, hurrying out of the room. She hastened to the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Her clothes dropped to the floor and she leaned back against the door, closing her eyes.

"Umi-chan…" She mumbled, her thoughts shifting back to her friend. Her hand shifted to her stomach, her fingers toying with the waistband of her underwear. Her breathing was labored as she allowed her hand to slide inside, her fingers brushing against the intensely hot area between her legs. She yelped at the thrum of pleasure that coursed through her and quickly pulled her hand away. "What am I doing?!" She hurriedly walked over to the sink and turned on the faucet, splashing water on her face. Her whole body felt too hot, even though she wasn't wearing anything beyond her underwear.

She looked up, meeting her own concerned gaze in the mirror but her focus quickly went to her neck. She gasped, her hand shooting up to cover the mark. It was still warm beneath her fingers, still a bit damp where Umi's tongue had slid over her skin.

"Crap, I can't let Kotori-chan see that!" Even if Kotori wasn't exactly interested in speaking to her at the minute, she knew it wouldn't go down well.

"Honoka?" Umi's worried voice was coupled with a gentle knock upon the door. "Are you okay? Can I come in?"

Honoka's mind was filled with unwanted images of letting Umi into the bathroom and shoving her back against the door, pleading with her friend to touch her. Her face turned red at the thoughts. What was she thinking?! She couldn't do something like that.

"Honoka? I'm coming in."

"NO!" Honoka threw herself toward the door as the handle turned. She had locked it, but that didn't stop the momentary panic she felt. "I-I'm just changing, Umi-chan. I'll be right out."

"I…" Umi sounded like she wanted to say something but she stopped suddenly. "Okay. I'll be waiting for you in your room."

Honoka whimpered helplessly and pressed her forehead to the door. "Don't say something like that." She was glad to hear the sound of Umi walking away from the door. She needed to take a minute and calm herself down.

—

Umi was having trouble looking Honoka in the eye after what had happened between them the previous night. She supposed it was a good thing Honoka seemed to be looking anywhere but at her too. It was downright embarrassing to think about the way she had been shamelessly forward. She couldn't help but wonder what she had been trying to do. Had she been trying to seduce Honoka? It didn't seem likely to her but every time she recalled the sound of Honoka's breathy gasps and moans she thought that might have been exactly what she was trying to do.

"Do you think Kotori-chan is coming?" Honoka asked anxiously, craning her neck to peer out of the large window. "What if she doesn't come? Maybe I should call her."

"Relax. She'll be here, she promised she would." Umi said, trying not to roll her eyes at how worried Honoka sounded about Kotori being a few minutes late. She understood why. For the past couple of weeks Kotori had been neglecting Honoka somewhat, too focused on the future version of their friend. Honoka just missed her. "See? Here she is now."

"What?" Honoka perked up as she heard the door to the maid cafe open and she hurriedly turned around.

Umi couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous of the way Honoka's face lit up when she saw Kotori and the way she sprung up to greet her with an exuberant embrace, but she ignored it.

Kotori gave a soft laugh as she returned the hug. Her hold was slightly tighter than usual but only because she'd realized that she hadn't seen her best friend in a long while. Finally she released her and took her seat at the table, flashing Umi a quick smile. The fact that it was quickly returned made her feel a bit better. She had been certain Umi was angry with her after their discussion in the entrance hall.

"Can I take your order?" A maid had wandered over to the table and Honoka and Umi both reached for the menu at the same time, their hands brushing. Honoka pulled hers back quickly, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment as she remembered the last time Umi had touched her hand. She barely heard her two friends order, too busy remembering the gentle press of lips to her palm.

"Honoka-chan?" Kotori reached over and touched Honoka's arm, finally breaking her from her thoughts. "Are you ready to order?"

"Ah…yeah, sorry." Honoka gave a shaky smile and shakily ordered the curry she knew to be on the menu. She always ordered the same thing anyway, she just liked to check the menu.

Kotori watched Honoka carefully as the maid wandered off, noticing the blush on her cheeks. Umi was being noticeably shifty too. Her cheeks were pink and she hadn't said much at all since Kotori had reached the table. Her gaze followed Honoka's hand which was scratching at her neck and she caught a brief glimpse of red skin. "Honoka-chan, your neck…" She leaned across the table, gently pushing the hem of Honoka's turtleneck down. She almost expected to see a wound similar to that of Future Honoka's. She certainly hadn't expected to see a bite mark. No, not quite a bite mark. A hickey. "W-What's that?"

"Oh, uh…" Honoka gave a nervous laugh and tried not to look at Umi. "I-It's nothing, don't worry. I was just…I was fooling around the other night. It's nothing."

Kotori didn't feel like it was nothing. She felt sick with jealousy. "I didn't know you were dating anyone. Why wouldn't you tell me that?"

"I'm not!" Honoka said quickly, waving her hands in front of her. "I'm really not, I was just…I got carried away with someone and we um…we just went too far, that's all. I didn't want you to see, it's embarrassing…"

"Right." Kotori mumbled, looking down at her hands. If Honoka had a hickey she must have been making out with someone. They had to have been kissing her, touching her…Kotori's hands clenched at her skirt. She didn't want anyone else kissing or touching Honoka. She should have been the only one. Maybe she deserved it, for being so focused on Honoka's future self. She had been all but ignoring Honoka recently. She cast a glance up and found Honoka with a far away look in her eyes and a crimson flush to her cheeks. "Are you seriously thinking about them right now, Honoka-chan?"

Honoka cast a subtle look at Umi, their eyes meeting for a second before she looked away. "Sorry! I can't help it. I'll stop, I promise."

Umi bit her lip to hold back a grin as she stared down at her lap. So Honoka was thinking about her, at least. That was a good sign.

Honoka noticed Kotori looked somewhat down and reached over to grab her hand. "I'm glad you're here, Kotori-chan. I've missed you."

Kotori gave a small smile as she looked back up at Honoka. "I've missed you too."

Umi didn't miss the way Honoka's eyes kept flicking toward her. The realization upped her confidence dramatically and she lifted her leg, brushing her foot against the inside of Honoka's leg. Her cheeks flamed with warmth but after hearing Honoka's admission she couldn't help but test the waters.

Honoka flinched at the light touch, her grip on Kotori's hand tightening. She looked toward Umi with wide eyes, having not expected the move. It seemed every touch from Umi caused her body to heat up to an unnatural level.

"Are you okay, Honoka-chan?" Kotori asked, having noticed the flinch. "You're blushing again."

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay." Honoka breathed a sigh of relief when Umi's foot seemed to fall away from her leg. Her relief didn't last long though as Umi glided her foot further up the inside of her leg, sending Honoka's head spinning. "I-I have to go to the bathroom!"

Umi stifled a laugh with the palm of her hand when Honoka shot up from her seat and practically sprinted for the bathroom. Maybe she was better at this than she thought she would be.

"Umi-chan?" Kotori's voice drew Umi's attention back toward her. "Is Honoka-chan definitely okay? You…said that she wasn't eating and she wasn't acting like herself."

"You don't have to worry about her. I'm looking out for her." Umi said sincerely. It was true, there was nothing she wouldn't do to make sure Honoka was safe and happy. "How is her future self?"

Kotori gave a meek shrug of her shoulders. "I'm worried about her. She's trying to push me away but she's hurting. I can always tell when Honoka-chan is hurting…" Her gaze drifted to the bathroom. She should have noticed just how affected her Honoka was too. "Is she mad at me?"

"You hurt her." Umi's answer was blunt but gentle. It still caused Kotori to wince. "But she's not mad at you. She just wants you back."

Kotori nodded resolutely and steeled herself. "I'm not going anywhere."

–

Honoka drummed her fingers anxiously against her desk and glanced over at Umi's vacant seat. Umi was never late for school, she was usually so diligent. When Honoka and Kotori hadn't found Umi waiting for them that morning they had assumed she had gone to school especially early for some reason but it seemed that wasn't the case.

"Kousaka-san!" The teacher's voice snapped Honoka from her thoughts and she sat bolt upright. "Do you have something more interesting than class to focus on at the minute?"

Honoka hurriedly shook her head in response. "N-No! I'm sorry." She sank down slightly in her seat, hoping that the teacher would go back to teaching. It seemed that she would but then the door at the far end of the classroom opened and Umi walked in.

The room was immediately filled with the sound of whispers but Honoka didn't notice anything beyond the plaster on Umi's cheek and the bandages on her hands. They extended up beneath the sleeves of her blazer, which was for a change, unbuttoned. She could only assume that there were more bandages on Umi's arms. Her tie was loose around her neck too, the top couple of buttons of her shirt loose.

She vaguely heard Umi apologize for being late and the teacher telling her to tidy herself up. Amber eyes briefly made contact with her own as Umi walked to her desk. Honoka glanced to her right at Kotori and found that she looked just as concerned as Honoka felt.

Honoka's brow furrowed questioningly and Kotori gave a slight shake of her head to signal that she shouldn't ask just yet.

"Kousaka-san, Minami-san, pay attention!"

Honoka squeaked in alarm, drawing a few giggles from the other students in the classroom. Hurriedly she turned her attention back to the teacher, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She couldn't help but look at Umi out of the corner of her eye, her heart soaring at the sight of the tiny smile on Umi's lips.

Hurriedly, she turned her attention away from Umi and tried to focus on her textbook. Despite her best efforts she continually found her gaze shifting back to Umi's bandaged hands. Her distraction wasn't helped by Umi moving one of her bandaged hands up to her head in an attempt to tame her unkempt hair. With her fingers bandaged it didn't seem as though she could manage and Honoka almost rose from her seat to help before remembering she was in class. She quickly angled her chair away from Umi to stare out of the window instead.

The class passed torturously slowly after that and Honoka bolted up when the bell finally rang.

"Kousaka-san, stay behind after class."

"Eh?!" Honoka exclaimed before she could stop herself. She quickly simmered down when the teacher glared at her. "Y-Yes, Sounou-sensei."

Umi shook her head in amusement at Honoka and quickly made her way out of the room. Before she could take more than two steps out of the room, she felt warm hands grip her own. She almost pulled her bandaged hands away, expecting to feel pain. She was surprised when she didn't feel anything. In fact they felt better than they had a moment ago.

"Nozomi…" Umi murmured, realizing who had taken her hands. She allowed herself to be pulled a short distance away from the door and marvelled at the way her hands were completely free of pain.

"What's this?" Nozomi asked in a hushed voice as she looked down at Umi's bandaged hands. "I felt it all the way from my classroom."

"That's what I'd like to know." Kotori said as she joined the two of them. Honoka was nowhere to be seen but Umi assumed she was still being berated by the teacher. "What happened?"

"Nothing. I've just been training on my own. Which we should all be doing." Umi's response was clipped and a little bit defensive but she didn't pull her hands away from Nozomi's gentle grip. She watched Nozomi's thumbs brush gently over the white bandages on the back of her hands, a strange sense of peace overwhelming her. "What are you doing…?"

Nozomi was doing her best to bite back a grimace but the at ease look on Umi's face made the pain she was absorbing easier to deal with. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

Kotori huffed out a sigh, realizing she wasn't going to get any answers from Umi. "I'm going to find Honoka-chan. The other Honoka-chan."

Umi couldn't bring herself to frown at Kotori like she usually would have whenever her friend rushed to Future Honoka's side.

Nozomi noticed the distant look on her junior's face and shuddered slightly at a new emotion that coursed through her body. She glanced down at the hands she was caressing and slowly examined them. When she caught dry blood stains up the sleeves she felt her heart drop.

"If this is what you call training then I have to ask you to stop." Nozomi's eyes darkened and she glanced around to make sure nobody was watching them before she dragged Umi into an empty classroom. She tugged off the younger girl's blazer and rolled up her sleeves without giving Umi an opportunity to protest. Turquoise hues widened at the sight of dirty bandages on Umi's hands and arms. She began to undo them only to be met with at least 4 deep red slashes which stretched from Umi's wrists to her elbows. Some of the cuts were crisscrossed at certain points, stretching around her arms. There were blisters and littles cuts on her hands and fingers. Nozomi's eyes stung at the sight.

"Umi-chan, this wasn't caused by your own weapon! The only way these could have happened is if you were fighting someone. What the hell happened!? Who did this!?"

Nozomi could feel white hot anger burning in her chest. Was this the reason Future Honoka was always so angry? Was this the kind of brutality she'd witnessed in the future?

" _Umi_!"

Umi bowed her head and clenched her hands at her sides. Now that Nozomi wasn't holding her hands the cuts hurt a lot more. She shook her head, tears blurring her vision. "I can't tell you, she'll find out I've told."

"Who'll find out?!" Nozomi exclaimed anxiously, her gaze flitting between the top of Umi's bowed head and the cuts on her arms. "What's going on, Umi? What haven't you told us?"

Umi shook her head, a whisper of a sob emerging from her throat. "I can't."

The fear that gripped Nozomi took her breath away for a moment. It wasn't just her fear. It was mostly Umi's. "Umi-chan." She stepped forward and drew Umi close to her. Whatever was going on with Umi, she didn't like the sound of it. Feeling Umi's hands grip the back of her blazer as tightly as she could, she closed her eyes and focused on taking Umi's pain from her. The strength of it hurt but she did it anyway, her own worry close to overwhelming her.

Umi breathed a shaky sigh of relief as the aches she had felt, both emotional and physical were taken away from her. Suddenly weary without the feelings, she allowed her eyes to droop shut. "I'm scared, Nozomi…"

"I know." Nozomi whispered back, holding onto Umi tighter. She did know. She could feel the fear herself, like an icy chill that ran up her spine and caused the back of her neck to tingle. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. It's only the beginning…"

—

Honoka sighed and leaned back in her seat. She had decided she would do some work for the student council after school but it was just too hard to concentrate. Her thoughts kept shifting back to Kotori and Umi. It wasn't surprising that Kotori was still spending most of her time fawning over Future Honoka but it seemed that even Umi was going out of her way to avoid everybody now. She couldn't help but worry. She already felt like she had lost Kotori in some way. She didn't want to lose Umi too. She wasn't sure she could bear losing both of them.

The door across the room opened and Honoka jolted up straight again, her gaze shifting toward the door. She watched as Umi shiftily moved into the room, only pausing when their eyes met.

"Honoka, I…I didn't know you'd be here." Umi said honestly as she pushed the door closed. She couldn't exactly turn and run now that she was in the room. "What are you doing?"

"I was doing some work for the student council." Honoka said quietly, trying to hide how much Umi's words had stung. "I didn't know you would be here either. I thought everyone had left already."

Umi made a soft noise of acknowledgement and shuffled over to sit next to Honoka. She awkwardly tried to tug the sleeves of her blazer over her freshly bandaged hands. Nozomi had gently changed them for her earlier because the ones she'd been wearing that morning had been bloody.

Honoka knew the bandages were there. She'd seen them with her own eyes when Umi had walked into the classroom. So had Kotori. "Hey, Umi-chan…" She pushed her chair back slightly and angled herself so that she was facing her best friend. Carefully, she reached out and gripped Umi's hands. "What happened?"

"Training." Umi answered automatically. She didn't expect Honoka to believe her and she could see in her eyes that she didn't. But then Honoka was smiling, that tiny knowing uplift of her lips.

"Umi-chan should be more careful. I need you in one piece." Honoka lifted Umi's hands to her face and pressed a kiss to the back of each one of them.

Umi felt her cheeks colour with embarrassment. "You're doing something so childish…"

Honoka's lips lingered against Umi's bandaged right hand as she looked up through her eyelashes. Finally, she drew her head back. "Tell that to the girl who kissed my knee all better."

"I was twelve, it was a different time." Umi remembered the moment Honoka was speaking of quite well. Honoka had been crying after an especially rough fall and so Umi had gotten down on her knees next to her and kissed her scraped knee better. "I was different…"

Honoka laughed, the noise soft and airy. "Stop it." She reached up and brushed a strand of hair behind Umi's ear. "You're not that different. You're still my Umi-chan."

"Your Umi…" Umi whispered back, her eyes widening slightly. The words caused her stomach to flip in anticipation for some reason. She knew Honoka didn't mean it possessively but if she was honest with herself that's how she wanted it to be. "Yeah."

Honoka lowered her eyes slightly in embarrassment as Umi seemed to agree with her. She barely had time to focus her stare on the floor beneath their feet before her chin was gripped gently by a bandaged hand. Her head was lifted and then Umi's lips were against hers, soft yet firm at the same time. She couldn't help but inhale sharply for a moment, in surprise at being kissed so suddenly. Their first kiss hadn't been like that. It had been softer, much more tentative than the way Umi was kissing her now.

Honoka instinctively returned the kiss, spurred on by spending the past couple of days remembering what had happened in her bedroom. She had wanted to do this then though there hadn't actually been time. Her hands slid up over Umi's chest to her shoulders and she pushed her blazer down. It landed on the floor at Umi's feet but neither of them noticed it.

Umi pulled away for a moment, thinking it would be a good idea to stop the kiss before it went too far. She watched as Honoka reached up and pulled off her own tie, her mouth running dry at the sight. Before she could stop herself, she was kissing Honoka hungrily again, eagerly untucking her friend's shirt from her skirt in an attempt to get to untouched skin.

Honoka whimpered against Umi's lips and gripped the other's girl's hips, guiding her back onto the desk. She mimicked Umi's actions, hurriedly untucking her shirt before she began to unbutton it. She didn't know what she was doing, all she really knew was that she wanted to know more of Umi, she wanted to lose herself in her.

Their fingers, making short work of the buttons on each other's shirts began to fumble and they pulled away to look down between them, hot and heavy breathing mixing in the small space between them. Their shirts came off at the same time but while Umi found herself entranced by the sight before her, Honoka felt her heart clench in her chest. Umi's torso was heavily bandaged. Not just her arms and hands but her shoulders, chest and stomach too. There wasn't very much skin to be seen at all.

"Umi-chan…" Honoka's suddenly damp stare lingered on the scar in the centre of Umi's chest.

Umi gently grabbed Honoka's face and kissed her hard to shut her up. She pulled away after a second to meet Honoka's gaze. "You don't need to say anything." Her thumb brushed over a wet lower lip. "Just kiss it better, Honoka."

Honoka sniffled softly. "I-I thought you said it was childish…"

"It is." In the long run it wouldn't help anything. It was silly and needy, to want Honoka to do that. "But from you, it makes me feel better. It makes me feel loved."

"I do love you." Honoka leaned in again and pressed her lips to Umi's, needing to convey just that. She felt Umi's arms wrap around her neck, long legs going around her waist at the same time and she found herself drawn flush against her best friend. Fingers toyed with the clasp of her bra. "I-I want to go out with Umi-chan."

Umi inhaled sharply at the admission. Despite everything that had happened between the two of them she hadn't expected that.

"What the fuck are you doing?!"

Umi didn't have time to tell Honoka she wanted the same thing, a new voice cutting into their conversation. Or not entirely new. It was just more mature now. She looked up, finding that Future Honoka had appeared in the room.

Future Honoka's view of Umi was mostly blocked by Honoka's body. "I thought I told you to keep your damn hands off my past self?! She's not yours to screw around with!"

"Yes, I am!" Honoka countered irritably as she spun around to face her future self full on. She felt a bit self conscious given that she wasn't wearing a shirt. "I can be whoever's I want to be!"

Umi, terrified as she was of Future Honoka felt like her heart was going to burst from her chest at Honoka's words.

Future Honoka opened her mouth to protest but she was stopped when she finally noticed the bandages that littered Umi's upper body. "What…?" She shook her head as she stepped closer. "Wait, what the hell happened to you, Umi?"

"I…I…"

Future Honoka took another step inside. "No! Shit, the old hag knows, doesn't she? She did this to you, right?!"

"I…I have to go!" Umi grabbed her shirt and pulled it back on quickly. She didn't bother to pick up her blazer before she hurried from the room, hurriedly buttoning up her shirt as she went.

"Umi-chan!" "Umi!"

Both her Honoka and Future Honoka called after her but Umi didn't stop. She bumped into Nozomi just outside of the door and briefly met her concerned gaze. She shook her head and hurried past.

Maki, who had been following right behind Nozomi froze as Umi's arm brushed against hers, the contact enough to break through the block she was trying to put on reading other people's thoughts and seeing their memories.

" _Now be a good girl or face the consequences, Umi."_

 _Umi was on her knees, her clothes soaked in blood. There was a sword pointed right at her throat, held by an older woman._

" _Yes…mother." Umi, her eyes filled with tears bowed her head to the older woman._

Maki doubled over at the memory, grabbing her head as pain seared through it. She heard the sound of footsteps approaching and then Nozomi was back at her side, her arms wrapped around her to keep her standing.

"What happened, Maki-chan?!" Nozomi asked quietly, aware that Maki's head would be hurting her.

Maki shook her head and looked up, finding that Honoka and Future Honoka had joined them in the corridor. Umi was nowhere in sight. "Umi is in danger."

—

"Nozomi?" Eli asked carefully, glancing over at her girlfriend. They were walking hand in hand back to Nozomi's apartment. They had been for the past ten or so minutes but it seemed that Nozomi's thoughts were elsewhere. "Are you okay?"

"Hmm?" Nozomi turned to Eli, surprised at hearing her speak. "I'm fine, Elichi. I just have a lot on my mind. Actually I…I have something I need to do. I know I said we'd eat dinner together but maybe you could wait for me at my apartment?"

"What?" Eli drew to a stop, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Why? What's going on?"

Nozomi forced a smile to her lips. "Just trust me, Elichi. I just need to do something, that's all."

The vague answer didn't make Eli feel better. "You've been acting strange since you ran out of class this morning. Please just tell me what's wrong, Nozomi."

"I just need to pay someone a visit. I'll come by as soon as it's done, I promise." Nozomi placed her free hand on Eli's shoulder and stepped forward to kiss her softly. She could feel Eli's worry without even trying. She could never block Eli out. "It's safe. I'll be fine."

Eli wanted to insist that she go along but she couldn't do anything but watch as Nozomi let go of her hand and turned to walk away from her. She stared after her girlfriend until she turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

Nozomi's smile disappeared, her expression darkening as she walked away from Eli. The anger she felt that morning at seeing the cuts on Umi's arms was back, this time tenfold. There was no way she could hold it back now.

—

"How are we going to save Umi-chan?!"

"Hello to you too." Future Honoka said dryly as Nozomi shoved past her into the hotel room. She vaguely wondered how many of her friends hadn't been in the room. She closed the door behind Nozomi and turned toward her.

"Seriously Honoka!"

"Oh look, you dropped the 'chan'." Honoka mocked, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She was in no mood for whatever Nozomi had shown up to say to her, or rather ask her, it seemed. "It's about time."

"Honoka." Nozomi growled angrily at the older version of her friend. "Cut the crap! What are we going to do to save Umi-chan? Maki-chan said she's in danger."

Future Honoka carelessly shrugged her shoulders. "What's your point? Umi's business is her business, I'm not going to get involved with that and neither should you."

"What?!" Nozomi wasn't sure what to think of the way Honoka was acting. Trying to get a read on her was too confusing and painful but she caught glimpses every now and then. "Umi-chan is in DANGER, Honoka!"

"I don't fucking care!" Honoka threw her hands up at her sides. "I hope the old hag kills her. It'll be a solution to all o-" she was cut off by Nozomi storming forward and delivering a sharp slap to her cheek. It wasn't restrained by any means. She tasted blood in her mouth as her shirt was grabbed and she was shoved back against the door.

"Shut your damn mouth, Honoka! If I ever hear you say anything like that again…" Nozomi drew Honoka away from the door only to shove her back again, her eyes glistening with tears. "Do you seriously hate Umi-chan enough to wish death on her? She's your best friend!"

"I hate her. If I could kill her myself, I would." Future Honoka gasped out, winded from being shoved back against the door. "It's about time someone di-" She was cut off by a hand being slapped over her mouth.

"You're such a liar. Look. You want to know what Umi-chan is feeling? You want to understand her a bit more?" She ignored Honoka shaking her head and focused on pushing the feelings she'd felt from Umi into Honoka. The sharp intake of breath against her hand and the way Honoka's eyes widened let her know it had worked. "We talked about you today you know. About your past self anyway. You think Umi is a liar, don't you? You don't trust her."

It was easy to pick these bits of information up when she could feel what Honoka felt. "You want to know what she feels for you?" She concentrated again, pushing the emotion she'd held back into Honoka. "She loves you, you idiot! How could you not know that?!"

Honoka trembled beneath Nozomi's hands, her eyes wide with shock. That last emotion had been overwhelming in it's strength and she'd had to fight to hold back tears.

"I'm going to ask again." Nozomi slowly let go of Honoka. "What's the plan to save Umi-chan?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the reviews! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Also this is another double update! :)**

"What the fuck is this?" Future Honoka glanced between the eight girls standing in front of her. "I said I needed Eli, not the rest of you!"

"We come as a pack. Deal with it, Honoka-chan." Nozomi said with a roll of her eyes. She could never let the two go in there alone. It was too dangerous.

"You're all just going to get in the way. Clear off!" The situation was frighteningly familiar. When she had been kidnapped her friends had come running to save her, with no regard for their own safety and they'd all ended up dead.

"I'm not going anywhere until Umi-chan is safe!" Honoka snapped irritably, gripping the hilt of the knife at her belt. Future Honoka was sure her past self had no idea how to use the weapon. "I'm going in there with you!"

Kotori nodded in agreement.

"I'll go too, nya!" Rin exclaimed, bouncing from foot to foot. She was fast enough to get in, snatch Umi up and get out within seconds, but she didn't know where Umi was.

"No. I need you somewhere else." Future Honoka said, glancing toward Rin. "I need you to get through those gates and take out as many guards as possible, okay Rin?"

"I can do that, nya!"

"I'm going with you." Maki said, stepping closer to Future Honoka. "I can guide you with my telepathy to where Umi is." Even now, she could hear Umi, just faintly, but it was there.

"I'm going with you too." Nozomi said as she too stepped closer to Future Honoka. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Honoka do the same thing.

Future Honoka was about ready to scream in frustration. "FINE!" She turned to Hanayo. "Hanayo, go with Rin and take the guards out, alright? Just um…knock them out if you don't want to kill them. Eli…" She stepped forward and grasped Kotori's arm gently, guiding her over to Eli. "I know you're going into the thick of it but I need you to look after her, okay? You're the only person I'll trust with her."

"Honoka-chan, I want to help too!" Kotori protested though a look from Honoka silenced her. "I-I mean…"

"You can help by staying with Eli and staying alive." Honoka said softly. "Right, let's go."

"What about me?!" Nico exclaimed, offended that she hadn't even been mentioned. "You need someone to take the bullets for you, don't you? There's nobody who'd be better at it here. I'm…"

"Yeah, yeah. My Nico would have been over the wall already. I forgot you were here. Get moving." Future Honoka stared a shocked Nico down for a moment before the indestructible girl flew into action, rushing toward the wall.

"W-What about me?" Honoka asked nervously. "I want to go with you to get Umi-chan. I-I mean I AM coming with you to get Umi-chan. You can't stop me."

"You're staying where you'll be safe, dumbass." Future Honoka said with a roll of her eyes. "I don't want you running around and getting me killed, do I make myself clear?"

"No, I want to go with you, to get Umi-chan!" Honoka clenched her fists at her sides. There was no way she'd be staying where she'd be safe when her best friend was in trouble. "I'm going to get her!"

"Fucking hell!" Future Honoka gave her past self a sharp push, sending her stumbling toward Kotori who quickly grabbed her to steady her. "Eli, keep an eye on that idiot too."

"But I…" Honoka began to take a step forward, only to be stopped by Kotori's hand in her own. She glanced at her friend and watched as Kotori gave a subtle shake of her head in response. "Fine…"

"Right, let's go. Nozomi, Maki, you're with me." Future Honoka paused, looking up as the first shots rang through the air. It seemed that Nico had been noticed already but that was part of the plan. She needed to draw attention away from the main gate so the rest of them could get through. "Everyone grab on."

Kotori, who was closest to Future Honoka reached out and grabbed her hand, leaving her other in Honoka's.

Nozomi walked over, meeting Eli's gaze intently. "Be careful." She mouthed to her. The small smile she received in response made her feel a little bit better about the situation. But not much. She knew that Eli could take care of herself but that didn't keep her from worrying.

Future Honoka waited until everyone had grabbed onto her before she closed her eyes and focused on getting them past the gates. She felt the ground slip out from under her, re-appearing a few seconds later.

"They're over there!"

Future Honoka's eyes snapped open at the loud yell that seemed to echo around her. "Shit." She had thought Nico would have been able to buy them at least a few seconds to get their bearings but she had underestimated just how many guards the Sonoda's had at their disposal. "Everyone move!"

Eli shared one last look with Nozomi before she took off running toward the guards, Honoka and Kotori hot on her heels.

Rin grabbed Hanayo and took off running too, passing Eli and the others in less than a second thanks to her enhanced speed.

"Come on!" Future Honoka barked out, trying not to let her gaze follow Kotori. It was hard to let her go off without her but she knew her future girlfriend would be safe with Eli. She rushed for the main building, aware that she had to go through it to get to Umi. She cursed under her breath when guards filtered out of it. "How did I get stuck with the two people with the most passive powers?"

Nozomi rolled her eyes at Honoka's question. She had felt the yearning from the other girl without even having to seek it out. "Geeze, Honoka-chan. Do you hate me that much in the future? I'm sorry I'm not your precious Kotori or Senpai."

Future Honoka growled under her breath. She knew Nozomi was just goading her, for a reaction. "I didn't say I wanted to go with Kotori, did I?"

"You didn't have to, it's written all over your face. You should have just brought her along if you wanted her with you that much…"

"Shut up, Nozomi. Why did you come with me anyway? To make sure I don't do anything to Umi-chan?"

Nozomi raised an eyebrow. "Umi-chan?"

"Argh, shut up!"

Maki glanced back at the two in irritation. "Do you even see those guards?!" It was like they were completely ignorant to what was happening around them, too lost in their stupid bickering.

"Yeah." Honoka sped up to get past Maki as they finally reached the five or so guards. Drawing her knife from her belt, she easily took one of them out with a slash to the throat. She tried not to think of the way Umi had died in her own time though the blood spatter didn't help matters. She didn't hesitate to throw herself in front of Maki as one of the guards began to rush toward the telepath. She delivered a solid kick to the guard's stomach, sending him stumbling back. She followed quickly, hitting him in the head with the hilt of her knife and knocking another guard out with a solid punch.

"Nozomi!"

Honoka looked up sharply at Maki's exclamation and found two guards had cornered Nozomi. She tensed instinctively, remembered the promise she had made to her Eli. She sprung into action, jumping onto the back of one of the guards and driving her blade deep into his neck. His knees buckled and he dropped to the ground, taking Honoka with him. She looked up just in time to see Nozomi slam her fist into the face of the other guard, knocking her out with a single punch.

"I didn't know you could do that." She mused, pushing herself to her feet. She wiped off her bloody blade on her arm. "I shouldn't be surprised, considering how hard you slapped me earlier."

"Still complaining about that?" Nozomi quipped, shaking her hand in front of her to relieve the ache in her knuckles. "I'd have thought you could take a little slap, Honoka-chan. Besides you needed someone to knock some sense into you. You're so hard-headed."

"I'm hard-headed?!" Honoka echoed in disbelief as she rounded on Nozomi. "This was your idea in the first place! You realize we could all die, right?!"

Maki rubbed her temples, feeling an oncoming headache. "What the hell is wrong with you two?" Her gaze lingered on Nozomi. "Seriously, since when do you bicker?"

Honoka shot a final glare at Nozomi. "Let's keep moving. You know where she is, don't you, Maki?"

"Dojo." Maki answered simply as she slipped past Honoka. She could already hear Umi louder than she'd been able to before and she didn't like the thoughts invading her head one bit. "We have to hurry."

"You heard her, Nozomi. Stop arguing with me." Honoka said with a pointed look at Nozomi. "You're just pissing me off."

"Hey, show some respect to your senpai!" Nozomi exclaimed, rushing after Honoka. Thankfully they seemed to have cleared the guards who'd lingered instead of going after Nico and the others.

"Senpai? If anything you're my kouhai. I'm older now, remember?!" Honoka called over her shoulder, not bothering to pause and turn around. "Show me some respect."

"What?!"

Maki growled irritably under her breath. Why hadn't she opted to go with Rin and Hanayo instead?

"Hey, what are you doing taking the lead?!"

"I guess it's just where I belong, 'Honoka-senpai'.

"You sarcastic little…"

Maki clenched her fists at the sound of Honoka's loud question. She didn't know what was going on or why Nozomi was acting so strange but it was annoying her. They were worse than her and Nico. "SHUT UP!"

"…You can walk in front if you want. You may have a crappy personality but even I'm not immune to that ass of yours, Senpai."

"Fuck off."

"I'm going to kill them." Maki muttered under her breath, her fingernails digging into her palms. "I'm seriously going to kill them."

—

"SUPER SONIC PUNCH, NYA!"

Hanayo watched as the blur that was Rin sprinted past her, having already circled the Sonoda estate a couple of times to build up her momentum. She watched as the line of ten guards were all knocked down by Rin's punch.

"I think you're enjoying this too much, Rin-chan." She said as Rin came to a stop a few feet in front of her, her breathing laboured. She had already taken a few guards out herself by punching them but she wasn't as happy about it as Rin seemed to be.

Rin was about to answer when three more guards rounded the corner, all with guns in their hands.

"RIN-CHAN!" Hanayo's panicked voice rang through the air as she phased herself instinctively to avoid the bullets suddenly raining down on them. Rin wouldn't have time to move out of the way. She was too spent. She lunged forward to grab her but then Nico was ducking in front of Rin, the bullets which would have hit the first year hitting her instead. "N-Nico-chan…"

Rin stumbled back a step, staring at Nico in shock as the bullets hit her, covering her clothes in blood. Nico didn't budge when the bullets hit but she did wince with every shot, clearly pained. "Nico-chan…" Her voice shook at the sight of the blood.

"Get out of here. I'll take care of them." Nico said, straightening up slightly. Her eyes glinted dangerously as she spun the knives in her hands. She waited until she saw Hanayo grab Rin before she rushed forward. If those guards thought they could try to hurt her friends and get away with it they were wrong.

—

 _"SHUT UP!"_

 _"…You can walk in front if you want. You may have a crappy personality but even I'm not immune to that ass of yours, Senpai."_

 _"Fuck off."_

Kotori frowned at the odd conversation she caught from Future Honoka and Nozomi. She could hear them even with so much distance between her and them. She supposed it was because they were talking quite loudly. Eli didn't seem to be paying them attention, too focused on looking for guards. She'd already taken out quite a few.

Honoka wasn't listening either. She was standing as close to Eli as she could, gripping her shoulder tightly for reassurance.

The dojo. That was where Maki had said Umi was. She could easily get there. She could just turn herself invisible and run for it. But Future Honoka had told her not to. She took a deep breath and focused her power, quickly disappearing from sight. As soon as she was invisible, she held her breath and took a faltering step toward Honoka.

"Wait…" Eli looked around in alarm, causing Kotori to stop in her tracks. "Where the hell did Kotori go?!" She had been able to sense her a moment ago but then it was like she'd just disappeared completely.

"What?" Honoka hurriedly looked around, panic filtering into her features. "Kotori-chan?! KOTORI-CHAN?!"

"Honoka!" Eli turned around and grabbed Honoka, dragging her off to the shadows. "Just calm down, she's probably just invisible. We'll find her, okay?" She noticed the slight glimmer of tears in Honoka's wide eyes and drew her close, feeling the hammering of the girl's heart against her own chest. "I've got you. It's…" She was cut off by two rapid gunshots.

"PLEASE! I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU SAY, JUST DON'T DO IT!"

"UMI-CHAN!" Honoka yelled, recognizing the voice.

"No!"

Two more gunshots and Eli felt an invisible force collide with her back, pushing her to safety. She hit the ground, taking Honoka with her and then there was dead silence. She'd been able to hear faint yelling before but now there was nothing. Nothing except Honoka's harsh breaths beneath her.

—

Future Honoka's stomach twisted uncomfortably at the sound of Umi's yelling. She looked down as a hand grabbed at her wrist and found that it was Nozomi.

"Shit…it hurts. She's in so much pain." Nozomi clenched at her shirt, her vision blurred with pained tears. She didn't know what to do with the physical pain she felt. It was indescribable.

Future Honoka glanced around at the frozen time. Maki was doubled over, completely frozen but the pain on her face was unmistakable. She could only imagine what was going on in Umi's head. "That idiot must have let her emotions take over, she must have frozen everything…"

Nozomi winced and gripped Honoka tighter. "This is what it's like?" It was odd. There had been a breeze before but even that had stopped now. The air was completely still around them.

"Hm. Come on, we have to get to the dojo before my past self does. Don't touch anyone, Nozomi."

"What about Maki-chan?"

Future Honoka shot a regretful look at the telepath. "Time is frozen, she'll be fine for now. We need to get to Umi now."

Nozomi couldn't help but feel worried by Honoka's sudden urgency. She allowed herself to be pulled along. "W-Why do you think Umi-chan said that, Senpai?"

Had Honoka not been so worried she would have noticed that the nickname was sticking. "Because Sonoda Kasumi has the ability to manipulate minds and take away memories."

"W-wait!" Nozomi resisted the pulling and dug her heels into the ground. Every step she took toward Umi hurt more. "Just leave me here. I'm useless to you anyway."

"What?! No. Nozomi, I need you with me. You're not useless, okay? I NEED you. This was your damn idea so you need to see it through!"

"I'm just holding you back, I'm too slow…"

Future Honoka cursed loudly and let go of Nozomi. "Fine." She bent down and scooped Nozomi up from the ground, earning herself a startled gasp.

Nozomi hurriedly wrapped her arms around Honoka's neck and a second later the older girl was running as fast as she could toward the dojo.

"Elichi really rubbed off on you in the future, huh?" She mumbled, fighting to contain a blush as she gripped Future Honoka tighter.

Honoka didn't answer though she caught the question. She was sure it was true that Eli had had some influence on her but she didn't want to linger too much on the idea.

Nozomi knew she needed to keep the woman with her calm. She could already feel her emotions getting more frantic as she runs.

Future Honoka could see the dojo ahead and pushed herself forward, her focus going toward the girl inside. She started to think about everything Umi had done to her. Honoka had never really thought of what she went through in the future. Had Umi also suffered as much as the rest of them? She knew her mother wasn't the kindest person when people go against her. Did Umi have a choice when she decided to fight her that time at the camp?

She felt her arms getting heavy and she could tell she slowing down. Suddenly, she felt something pressing against her chest. She looked down at Nozomi and watched as she took the physical and emotional pain away from her. "Nozomi…"

"We'll get to her. Don't worry, Senpai, we'll save Umi-chan." Nozomi smiled at her. It wasn't one of her plastic ones, but a true reassuring gentle smile. With her free hand, she gently touched Future Honoka's cheek, trying to draw every ounce of pain from her.

Future Honoka felt suddenly light and she began to pick up her pace. Realizing it was taking too long, she concentrated and teleported herself and Nozomi to the front of the dojo, only to encounter her past self and Eli.

"Nozomi?!"

"She's fine, just tired." Future Honoka carefully set an exhausted Nozomi down next to Eli and watched as the blonde's arms went around her girlfriend to steady her.

Honoka though couldn't stand the waiting and before anyone could stop her she had rushed forward, restarting time. Umi's gut wrenching screams were louder now and she pushed herself to run faster, only freezing when she was inside the dojo.

Umi was at the center of the room, on her knees. She was clearly battered and blood dripped down her arms while her face was slashed across her cheek. Hands were gripping her head and her eyes were pure white. The woman who was holding her also had white eyes but they were narrowed in concentration.

"UMI-CHAN!" Honoka cried out, though there was no reaction from Umi. She began to hurry forward only to be forced back by an invisible force. She stumbled, barely avoiding falling over and looked around for the source.

"M-Mom?" Eli, who had run in with Nozomi and the others stopped short, her eyes widening in shock at the sight of her mom holding her hand up to Honoka. "W-What…?" She shook her head in disbelief, tears forming in her eyes. There was no way her mom could be in on this.

The sudden wave of emotion had Nozomi crumbling to her knees. But it wasn't just Eli's she could feel. It was someone else's too.

"Papa?" Maki's voice cut through the silence left in Eli's wake and Nozomi glanced over her shoulder, finding an out of breath Maki standing there. She'd obviously run all the way to the dojo after finding herself alone when time had unfrozen.

Maki's gaze shifted to the vial in her father's hand who was standing in back of Umi and her mother, her breath caught in her throat. She knew exactly what that could do. And it seemed like they were going to try it on Umi. "W-Why?!"

"Get the hell off her!" Future Honoka teleported herself over to Umi and her mother and gave the older woman a sharp shove to break the connection between the two of them. Umi's mother fell to the floor though it didn't take more than a few seconds for her to push herself to her feet.

Future Honoka, who had positioned herself in front of Umi, felt her collapse forward against the back of her legs now that she wasn't being held up. Her knees almost buckled because of the collision but she held firm, glaring at Umi's mother.

"UMI-CHAN!" Honoka was beating at the invisible force holding her back, tears streaking their way down her cheeks as she took in Umi's condition. "Let go of me!"

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Future Honoka growled, her left hand reaching back to Umi. The girl's forehead was resting against the inside of her knee and she could feel her jeans being soaked with blood but she couldn't care. Her hand came to rest lightly on the back of Umi's head. "She's your daughter, you sick bitch!"

Kasumi narrowed her eyes at Future Honoka. "Kousaka Honoka. How nice to meet you in the flesh."

That voice sent a chill down Future Honoka's spin. She had met this woman many times in the future and each experience had been unpleasant. They were memories she didn't want to repeat.

"H-Hono…" Umi's voice was weak and raspy as she clutched at Future Honoka's legs. It was obvious she was barely conscious. "H-Ho…"

Future Honoka felt her chest tighten. The way Umi struggled to speak sounded too much like the way Kotori had near the end.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" Maki's voice rang out clearly across the room, her eyes fixated to the vial in her father's hand. "You were going to give Umi that POISON?!"

Jin shook his head at his daughter's accusation. "It's not poison, Maki. It's a cure."

"It's a cure for all of us." Irina chimed in in agreement. "We can finally get rid of this cursed power for good! We'll be normal, just like everyone else."

Eli, who had grabbed Honoka to keep from hurting herself, stared at her mother through blurred vision. "That's crazy. There's no such thing as a cure. We're not sick!"

Future Honoka vehemently shook her head. "It's unstable, all it's going to do is cause a huge epidemic. Not just for Ability users but normal humans! It's a damn virus!"

Jin's eyes widened at the accusation. "That's not true. I've devoted my entire career to making this cure. I, along with other specialized doctors have run thorough tests on it. There's no way it could be a virus!"

"Do you know how many corrupted ability users there are in the world?!" Kasumi yelled, angered by Honoka's unfounded accusation. "They'll kill to gain power! Corps is a secret organisation that has been keeping dangerous ability users under the radar of the world's governments for years. Do you know what will happen if we're discovered!"

"Of course I do! I've witnessed firsthand what they'll do to us if…" She was cut off suddenly as Kasumi's eyes narrowed at her. She knew what that meant. Before she had a chance to react, she noticed a blur of red hair and suddenly Maki was in front of her, her own eyes narrowed dangerously as she fought off the telepathic attack.

Nozomi, still on her knees, buckled forward slightly, her hand grasping at her chest. There was too much anger, pain both physical and emotional, fear and betrayal to block out. It hurt, a lot.

Eli stepped away from Honoka, her fists bursting into flames as she watched the mental fight between Maki and Umi's mom. The slight furrow in Maki's brow was worrying but what was worse was the fact that Umi was no longer conscious.

"Why can't you just understand?!" Eli's mom waved her hand, sending the swords hanging on the wall flying at Eli and Honoka.

"Honoka!" Eli threw herself toward Honoka, taking her down to the ground with an arm wrapped protectively around her head. The impact was hard and took the wind out of both of them but the swords flew over them. Quickly, Eli checked that none of them had hit Nozomi. They hadn't, though her girlfriend was clearly in pain. "Nozomi!"

Nozomi looked up, tear filled eyes meeting Eli's though she couldn't bring herself to respond.

Eli felt her stomach drop in fear and she let go of Honoka to crawl over to Nozomi. She was stopped when Nozomi shook her head slightly.

"P-Protect Honoka, Elichi."

"What?!" Suddenly Jin's voice rang out, drawing everyone's attention toward him.

Irina's eyes widened as she watched Jin batting at the air as if he was trying to hit something that wasn't there. "Jin, what are you doing?!"

"It's not me, something is pushing me!" Jin exclaimed, stumbling forward with an especially sharp shove. "It must be Minami's kid!"

"Kotori-chan?" Honoka pushed herself to her knees and looked around for her friend but she didn't find her anywhere. "KOTORI-CHAN, GET UMI-CHAN!"

Jin felt his grip on the vial loosen and suddenly it wasn't in his hand any more. It was floating a few feet away from him.

Kotori barely had time to feel victorious about getting the vial before she was flying through the air. She hit the wall hard, losing control of her invisibility and inadvertently re-appearing. The vial slipped from her grasp.

Rin raced into the room, using her speed to get there quickly. She grabbed the vial before it could hit the floor and lifted it to eye level to examine it. "What's this, nya?"

Nico jumped down from Rin's back and rushed toward Irina, tackling her to the ground and forcing her to lose her concentration on Kotori. The ashen haired girl slumped to the floor, dazed.

"RIN, DON'T LET THEM GET THEIR HANDS ON THAT!" Future Honoka yelled from behind Maki.

Rin glanced around the room, doing a quick assessment of where the others were. Spotting Umi, her eyes widened in surprise. "Umi-chan!" She raced toward her and grabbed Umi before running from the room with her.

Honoka pushed herself to her feet and ignoring Eli's attempts to grab her, ran toward Kotori and tugged her to her feet.

Nico punched Irina, knocking her out cold before she scrambled up and rushed towards Nozomi, falling to her knees in front of her. "Nozomi!" She grabbed Nozomi's hand and pressed it to her chest. "Give it to me. Give it all to me."

Nozomi opened her mouth to protest but the look on Nico's face left no room for argument. Against her better judgement she pushed everything she was feeling into Nico. A wave of relief washed over her as the pain left her.

Future Honoka forced herself into action, hurrying forward to push Kasumi to the ground. "Get out of here, all of you! Maki, go!" She turned on her heel and hurried toward the exit, grabbing Maki's hand on the way. She sought Kotori out and found her being helped outside by Honoka and Eli while Nico and Nozomi seemed to be supporting each other. She didn't let go of Maki's hand until they were out of the now open gates.

Rin, who had set Umi down on the ground just outside of the gates, looked up in panic. "I-I tried to stop the bleeding but I couldn't, nya! Umi-chan won't wake up!"

"UMI-CHAN!" Honoka began to move forward only to be stopped by Eli.

"Move, Rin!" Maki ushered Rin out of the way and dropped to her knees at Umi's side, hurriedly feeling for a pulse. It was so faint she could barely feel it. "Shit, I don't…"

"They're here!" A man, dressed in a guard's uniform rushed out of the gates, his gun drawn and raised to fire.

"NO!" Hanayo jumped forward, her hand outstretched in front of her. It phased through the man's chest. She gripped his heart and without thinking about what she was doing, pulled her hand back. The guard let out a startled cry, his eyes widening in pained shock. He slumped to the floor a moment later, lifeless.

Hanayo stared down at the bloody organ in her hand as it beat for the last time. She felt like time had stopped moving again, her mind a complete blur. What had she done?

Rin's eyes widened at the sight of the blood on Hanayo's hand. Even Maki, who had been tending to Umi, had briefly turned her attention to Hanayo. An especially raspy intake of breath from Umi had her looking back down again though.

"Sh-She's not going to make it. I can't do anything…"

"NO!" Honoka dropped to her knees in tears, her gaze focused on Umi. She couldn't lose her. She just couldn't. "No, no, no…you have to do something, Maki-chan! PLEASE!"

Kotori, in tears herself sank to the ground next to Honoka and drew her friend's head close to her chest. She knew it would kill her to have to watch Umi die. She felt the same way. Still, her eyes sought out her other best friend.

"Maki, get out of the way!" Future Honoka ordered suddenly, earning herself a frown from Maki. Nevertheless the redhead moved out of the way and Future Honoka took her place, carefully drawing Umi into her arms. "Stay with me, Umi-chan." She pressed her forehead gently to Umi's, her eyes watering. How many times did she have to lose her? It wasn't fair. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I should have realized…I should have known you'd never do anything like that unless you were forced. I should have known!"

Eli, choked up, turned away quickly and found Nico helping Nozomi through the gates. She surged forward, her arms going around her girlfriend. She couldn't watch as Umi died either.

"Don't you dare die on me, damn it." Future Honoka was reminded of when she'd said the same thing to Kotori, right after she'd tried to save her. Her eyes widened in realization and with her free hand she quickly searched her pockets, finally emerging with a small bottle of blood. It was the last one she had, the last thing she had of her Nico and her world. She uncorked it with her teeth. "Just hold on a bit longer, Umi-chan." She pressed her lips briefly to Umi's forehead and focused on freezing everything around her, Umi included. As quickly as she could, she teleported to the nearest hospital supply room and searched for a syringe. Finding one, she teleported back to the Sonoda estate and moved back into her position with Umi, unfreezing time.

"Maki, I need your help!" She exclaimed, looking up at the telepath. She waited until Maki was kneeling next to her before she quickly shoved the needle into her hands. "Inject her, hurry!"

Maki wasn't sure what she was doing or why but she did as she was asked, filling the needle with the blood. Quickly, she searched for a vein and slid the syringe in, injecting Umi with the blood.

Within seconds Umi's injuries had disappeared completely, even the healing cuts from the previous day were gone. She gasped loudly, urgently drawing air into her lungs and opened her eyes to see a teary Honoka staring down at her. "H-Honoka…"

"Umi-chan." Future Honoka drew Umi close and hugged her tighter, unable to hide her relief. "You're okay. You're safe." She pressed her lips firmly to the top of Umi's head, feeling the younger girl shudder against her and reach up to grip her jacket. "I'm so sorry. For treating you like I have been. I didn't know…"

Umi squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the memories of what her mother had done. She held onto Future Honoka tightly until the future version of her friend released her and slowly stood up from the ground.

Kotori released Honoka and let her scramble over to Umi, throwing her arms around her.

"Umi-chan!" Honoka sobbed freely into Umi's shoulder. She couldn't believe how close she had come to losing her. It was hard to comprehend. "I thought..I-I thought…"

Umi exhaled slowly, comforted by Honoka's presence. "I know, Honoka. I'm sorry." She felt Honoka pull away from her and feared for a moment that her friend was going to leave her. What happened instead shocked her. Honoka leaned in and pressed their lips together in front of everyone. She didn't seem to care who was watching.

Kotori, who had been on her way over, stopped short, the small smile that had lingered on her lips dropping away. She watched as Umi seemed to relax into the kiss, her arm going around Honoka's shoulders. She shook her head in shock. That wasn't right. She was supposed to be the one dating Honoka in the future.

After a moment, the kiss broke and Kotori found Umi's gaze seek her out. Quickly, she forced a smile back to her face. Walking over to the other girls she pulled them both into an embrace. Right now wasn't the time to be thinking of things like that. Her best friends needed her.

Rin turned her attention back toward her best friend and frowned at the obvious sobs escaping her. Maki who was next to her, pushed her. "She's in shock Rin, she just killed someone. She needs comfort..go to her, you idiot!"

"R-Right!" Rin hurried forward, coming to a stop at Hanayo's side. "K-Kayo-chin?" She looked down at Hanayo's hand and found that she was still gripping the lifeless heart. Her stomach turned at the sight. "Hey, maybe you should put that down…" She began to reach for Hanayo's wrist only for her best friend to jerk away from her.

"DON'T!"

Rin found herself being shoved away and she stumbled back a couple of steps, her eyes widening in surprise. "Kayo-chin…"

Maki watched in horror as the shove almost sent Rin to the floor. "Hanayo, stop it. Rin is just trying to help."

"Well she shouldn't." Hanayo dropped the heart, feeling it growing cold in her hand. "I-I can't be near any of you right now. I-I can't…"

"Hanayo, relax. It's okay." Nico spoke up, trying to soothe the situation. It was obvious that Hanayo was distraught. "I've killed way more of them, y'know. They're the bad guys. They would have killed us!"

Hanayo shook her head, the tears that had welled in her eyes flying free with the movement. "They're people too!" She had never meant for it to be like this. She had never meant to hurt anyone. "I-I have to go…"

"Kayo-chin, wait!" Rin watched as Hanayo turned and ran away. With one last glance at the others, she quickly followed. It might have been the case that Hanayo didn't want her there but she couldn't let her best friend go off alone. She paused briefly when Hanayo phased herself beneath the ground. Her brow furrowed for a second before she realized that her friend must have run off to the sewers. "I'll find her!"

Eli watched as Rin raced off with her speed ability. "I have to call Arisa, to…tell her to go to Honoka's house, to spend the night with Yukiho. It's probably safer there." She still couldn't believe what she'd seen. That her own mother was the enemy.

Future Honoka had been staring at her past self, Umi and Kotori, her eyes glossed over with unshed tears but she managed to snap herself out of it. "We have to go. Before anyone else shows up."

"We can go to my apartment." Nozomi spoke softly, her hand firmly in Eli's. "We'll be safe there for a while, I think. And Umi-chan can rest."

Future Honoka felt a familiar probing at her mind and she glanced up at Maki, her eyes sharp. "Quit that, Maki! You remember what happened last time, don't you?"

Maki flushed in embarrassment. She remembered it well. "I was just…I just wanted to talk to you." She remembered seeing Honoka's memories of how she'd interacted with Future Maki. They'd often done it telepathically as far as she remembered. "I wasn't going to do anything."

Her gaze fell to Honoka's neck. She had only just noticed the significant absence of the necklace she'd grown used to seeing Future Honoka clutching but she wasn't sure she should say anything. She was sure she'd seen Future Honoka wearing it before they went in.

"Oh." Future Honoka vaguely wondered if Maki was upset or something like that but she couldn't bring herself to offer reassurance. "Let's go, come on."

Nico pocketed the vial she'd taken from Rin and walked over to Honoka, grabbing onto her arm. Eli, Nozomi and the others joined them a moment later and Honoka quickly teleported them away.

"Damn, we missed them." Anju commented as she watched the group disappear. "We should have done something as soon as we got here, instead of standing around."

"We have to be patient." Erena said with a shake of her head. "We'll get them soon. You need to remember she doesn't want any of them dead, Anju." She looked toward their leader for confirmation.

Tsubasa smiled secretively. "We'll get them sooner than you think. I have the perfect plan."


	10. Chapter 10

**Second part of a double chapter post. Don't forget to read the other chapter too! :)**

Shaken, Future Honoka stared down at her bloody hands. She was covered in the sticky substance. It was in her hair, smeared on her face, hands and clothes. Her gaze shifted slowly toward her past self and Umi. Honoka was clinging to her tightly, her arms wrapped around the pale girl's neck as if afraid to let go. Kotori was sitting closeby, her hand gripping Umi's tightly. The sight of them together sent a stab of pain through Future Honoka's chest. She would never sit like that with her Kotori and Umi again, she would never have the chance to make amends with Umi. Her Umi had died with the knowledge that Honoka and everyone else she loved hated her.

"You can take a shower if you want." Nozomi offered, noticing Honoka's bloody state. Umi was almost as bad, having been the one who was bleeding in the first place. "The bathroom is…"

"I'll find it." Future Honoka stood up sharply. She couldn't look at her past self with Kotori and Umi any more. She just felt sickeningly jealous. She left the room, leaving the others sitting in tense silence.

Honoka gripped Umi tighter, her fingers digging slightly into her friend's skin. After what had happened at Umi's house she wasn't willing to let go, even for a second. She could feel her usually composed best friend trembling against her. She wished she could say something to comfort her but if she was honest, she was just as shaken.

Umi almost flinched when gentle lips found her temple but she reminded herself that it was just Honoka and stayed still, her eyes closing as she focused on the warmth the comforting kiss brought. She couldn't help but remember the way Future Honoka had embraced her so protectively earlier, strong arms encasing her body. It had been a brief change from the hatred she usually felt directed toward her by the young woman.

"Are you okay?" Eli whispered, leaning a little bit closer to Nozomi. Her girlfriend had seemed pained ever since they'd arrived at Umi's house. She couldn't help but feel concerned, aware of Nozomi's inability to block so much pain out.

Nozomi hummed softly in response and flashed Eli a small smile.

"Are you su…?" Eli was cut off as Nozomi's eyes widened quite suddenly, her hand flying to her chest. At the same time, Maki cried out in pain and clutched her head. Suddenly there was a commotion from the bathroom, the sound of thumps and choked screams.

"Honoka-chan?!" Kotori shot to her feet, her eyes wide with panic. She felt hands grab either of her own and glanced down at Umi and Honoka, who'd both grabbed onto her to keep her still.

Nozomi clenched her shirt tightly over her chest, her vision blurred with tears. Feeling what future Honoka was feeling was the most painful thing she had ever felt. It was as though she'd been stabbed in the chest.

Maki whimpered as unwelcome images filled her mind. Future Honoka being embraced by a tall blonde, obviously the future version of Eli. Future Eli sitting at Future Honoka's hospital bedside, holding her hand. Future Eli bandaging Future Honoka's wounds, the two of them laughing and drinking together, her Future self with Eli and Honoka in her office, talking about how Maki was going to cause a fire one day with her smoking habit. Future Eli throwing herself in front of Future Honoka to protect her…Future Honoka feeling something tucked into her hand. A cross.

Something smashed in the bathroom, followed immediately by the sound of loud, heartbroken sobs. The sensation almost had Nozomi keeling over.

Kotori tore her hands from her friend's and hurriedly started for the door. Even Umi, who was still trembling after her encounter with her mother, stood, her heart hammering against her chest. No matter what, that was still Honoka and she obviously needed someone.

Eli quickly stepped in the way of Kotori, keeping her back with a hand held out in front of her. "You can't." She said hurriedly. She didn't know what Kotori and Umi would find if they entered the bathroom. "I'll go."

"N-No, Honoka-chan's my…" Kotori cut herself off, her eyes flitting toward the bathroom. She couldn't just tell them that Honoka was her girlfriend in the future. It would upset Umi, not to mention confuse the rest of them. "She's my best friend, Eli-chan!"

Eli swallowed thickly. They really didn't have time to argue, not when Honoka was still so audibly distraught. The thumps and smashes hadn't stopped despite being masked by sobs now and Eli had a rough idea of what it was.

"We don't have time for this! We all know the two of you…have a thing for each other. Honoka is…if she tries to make a move, you won't stop her." She watched as Kotori's cheeks flushed bright crimson. She had thought as much. Considering how much Future Honoka had seemed to open up to Kotori, it didn't feel right to keep the two of them apart but she was just trying to protect Kotori. Her gaze shifted to Maki who was sitting down but leaning heavily against Nico. She was surprised to find tears shimmering on Maki's cheeks. "Shit…" She turned to Nozomi, finding her in a similar state.

"Go and help her, Elichi." Nozomi tearfully met Eli's eyes, her shirt still clenched in her fist. "She's hurting so much. Just do whatever you can…" Her voice was full of emotion, and it made Eli worry. What did Nozomi mean by that?

 _"Eli, be careful. Don't get lost in the moment."_ The thought came suddenly. Startled, Eli met Maki's eyes. " _Honoka isn't well. She has memories that affect her way of thinking. When she says something that sounds weird, you need to know she's talking to her Eli, not you."_

Eli raised her eyebrow at the warning but turned around, missing the exchange between Nozomi and Maki. She walked into the hallway and made her way to the closed door that led to the bathroom. She could hear hysterical sobs and the sound of banging. With one more deep breath to calm her nerves the teenager placed her hand on the knob and turned it gently.

What she was met with was fog, the scorching hot water steaming the area and making it difficult for Eli to see properly. She stepped in and almost tripped over the clothing on the floor. She ducked down, spotting blood. There was so much blood on them, especially on the jacket with the unfamiliar stitches on the front. She bit her lip and heard a loud crash came from behind the shower glass.

Eli pushed herself to her feet and walked closer, the cries and yelling becoming clearer with every step. She caught sight of blood smeared on the shower screen and feared the worst. She grabbed on quickly to the handle and pushed the glass door open. She was met with bright blue hues, shimmering with grief and tears. She reached up a hand and opened her mouth to gently tell Honoka she needed to get out of the shower. The water was too hot, the steam too thick and Honoka's hands were bleeding from where she'd hit the now crumbling tiles.

She carefully stepped into the shower, a moment later finding her back slammed into the wall. Eli gasped sharply at the shove and the feeling of Honoka's fingers pressing into her skin. She opened her eyes and felt her heart skip a beat, her face flushing all the way to her ears and neck. She'd forgotten about the state of dress Future Honoka was in and it came with unwanted images. Her gaze followed every curve and tone muscle until landing on the gash on Honoka's shoulder. She lifted her head meeting tearful eyes.

"Neck…lace" Future Honoka uttered, her features pained. It wasn't something Eli nor the other members of Muse had seen before. Her breathing was heavy and the tears weren't stopping. Eli was pushed further against the wall and gasped as the water struck against her skin like needles piercing her. She wasn't as sensitive as she once had been but it still hurt.

"H-Honoka, stop! Ah, what are you doing?!" She managed to choke out in surprise.

Future Honoka wasn't in the right state mind to answer. She could only cry harder against the warm body under her own. She wanted to forget, she wanted to die. Just like everyone else she just wanted to plunge into the darkness and let herself finally rest.

When fingers brushed against the upper part of her back Honoka's breath hitched. A distant memory came to her but she shook her head and pushed herself further against the younger girl. It was too painful, to remember things like that.

"I..just want it to stop.." She sobbed into Eli's shoulder. "I don't want to be the only one left. I can't do this any more, I just can't! I already used Nico's blood and now I've lost my only connection to you.." She wasn't speaking about the teenager. She was talking about the other one. Her tall, brave, stupid and selfless partner in crime. Her best friend, her Eli.

Eli was frozen for a moment, taking in Honoka's words. A lump formed in her throat and she reached up, clutching Honoka tightly instead of trying to push her away like she had been. Underneath all of the defensive layers Future Honoka had built up over the years, she was still Honoka. Still the same girl who cared too much. Eli clutched her tightly, choked up by the thought of what Honoka had been through. It wasn't fair. None of it was.

Suddenly, Honoka was trying to pull away from her and Eli's eyes widened. She'd seen the blood smeared on the shower screen. Honoka's bloody knuckles made it obvious that she'd been out of control. She held on tighter. "Don't." She said, her voice slightly sharper than she intended. "I've got you, Honoka."

The water pounding down on her hurt terribly but she wasn't about to let go. Especially not when Honoka only began to cry harder at her words. Her fingers dug into Honoka's back and she once again felt a slightly rougher area beneath her hand. She didn't have the presence of mind to think about that though, not when her clothes were soaked through, making them seem oddly heavy. Her hair was wet too, her bangs clinging to her forehead as water dripped down her face. It would have been uncomfortable for anyone, but to her it was beyond painful. It made her remember when Nozomi had tossed her into the sea, having been unaware of her ability and her weakness against water.

She inhaled sharply through her teeth as the water seemed to get colder and gripped Future Honoka tighter, both as a reaction to the pain and an attempt to comfort her. She could hear Kotori from the other side of the door, obviously adamant about getting to Honoka. Nico and Maki were trying to hold her back but they were obviously struggling. It wouldn't be long before Kotori got past them, probably by turning invisible. They couldn't really stop her if they couldn't see her.

She gently shushed the broken girl in her arms, fingers gently running through soft ginger hair. "Get us out of here, Honoka." She whispered, hoping Honoka would have the presence of mind to do so before Kotori burst into the room.

A few seconds ticked by before Eli felt the familiar tugging sensation of Honoka's power. She felt as if she were standing on air, as if the two of them were surrounded by nothingness. It was as though the only thing keeping her anchored was Future Honoka's grip on her. She closed her eyes tightly, only opening them when she felt like her feet were planted solidly on the floor again. Honoka was silent now, only shuddering occasionally against her and Eli realized with a blush that the older girl was still very much naked. It seemed that Honoka realized the same thing as she pulled away quickly and moved off to change.

Eli couldn't quite manage to avert her eyes from Future Honoka's bare back as she walked away from her. Her gaze sought out the rougher patch of skin she'd felt earlier, expecting to see scars. She didn't and she frowned thoughtfully. The skin on display was slowly covered up, though not by much.

She took a moment to look around the hotel room. It wasn't an especially nice room. It was more of a mess than anything else, empty bottles, food cartons and clothes lying around. It looked to be fine for what Honoka needed it for though. Eli supposed she mustn't do anything but sleep in the room.

A few minutes passed before she felt something soft being pressed into her hand. Startled, she turned her attention forward and found Honoka standing there. Her eyes were clouded with tears but she seemed to be holding herself together. For the moment. She reached out to take the article of clothing that was being offered but her eyes traveled elsewhere, her cheeks reddening at the amount of skin being displayed.

Future Honoka was clad in just a pair of fitting black jeans and a plain black sports bra. She could see the blood trickling down from the strap that was over her shoulder. Eli completely forgot about the clothes given to her and hurried to the older woman.

"We need to wrap this! Who knows how much blood you've already lost? God, you really are still an idiot aren't you?"

Honoka stared at Eli in surprise, having not expected the outburst. Numbly, she pointed to the first aid kit she had on her bedside table. It seemed she needed it just as much now as she had in the future. She pressed the clothes into Eli's hands though, silently insisting that she put them on first.

She watched as Eli walked over to get it but eventually tore her eyes away and moved to sit on the bed instead, not watching Eli change into the fresh clothes. She was silent as the blonde walked back over to her and began to bandaged her shoulder for her. She winced slightly as the wound was accidentally prodded. Eli had never been the best at first aid. Most of the time when Eli bandaged her up, Maki had to redo it.

Eli tried to ignore the way Honoka was shaking beneath her hands as she applied the bandages. There was little else she could do in terms of first aid. She was no Maki, that was for certain. Even now, Maki seemed to have a knack for treating wounds. Honoka could almost hear her, tutting about how Eli had just slapped a bandage on for the sake of it, that she hadn't even bothered to disinfect the wound.

 _"Damn pyro thinks she can cover it up and it's fixed. I swear I'm going to force her to take a first aid course…"_

Honoka clenched her hands into fists, her eyes watering again.

"Honoka, I have to take this off." Eli said softly, her hand sliding around Honoka's back to the clasp of her bra. She waited for some kind of agreement from Honoka but it didn't even seem as though she was listening to her. Sighing, she unclasped the clothing and gently tugged it off Honoka. Her fingers brushed against the slightly rougher skin again and she frowned in confusion. Struggling to keep her eyes away from Honoka's chest, she finished wrapping the wound as best she could.

Future Honoka was lost in her own thoughts but she tensed suddenly when Eli's fingers moved over her back, skimming gently over the area she'd only allowed one person to touch. Not even Kotori was allowed to touch her there. "What…?"

"What is this?" Eli's gaze was innocently curious as Honoka looked up in confusion. "It feels…different. Not like the rest of your skin."

Honoka had to swallow thickly to continue speaking. "A tattoo."

Eli raised an eyebrow, her fingers continuing to roam gently over the rougher skin. "I can't imagine you having a tattoo."

"Yeah…it wasn't by choice, trust me."

Eli frowned at Honoka's words and shifted to look over the young woman's upper back. There was nothing there, no visible sign of the tattoo. "Why is it invisible?"

"It just is." Honoka slid off the bed and as she stood, Eli noticed that her knuckles were still bloody. Before she could suggest that she wrap them too, Honoka was limping to the bathroom. Eli stayed where she was, uncertain about what else to do. She took a moment to look around the room, noticing the notes pinned to the far wall. From where she was sitting, it looked like a timeline. She was about to get up to inspect it when Honoka returned with something in her hand.

"I'll have to turn the lights down for this." Future Honoka said softly as she wandered over to the light. She paused with her hand on the switch. It was hard not to remember how her Eli had reacted when she'd first seen the tattoo. "Are you sure?"

Eli nodded even as her heart thudded urgently against her chest. The lights turned off and after a few moments, Honoka returned to the bed, sitting down in front of her like she had been before.

Numbly, Eli took the small torch offered to her and switched it on. She carefully brushed Honoka's hair out of the way and shone the blue light onto her upper back. AU017TM. She blinked in confusion. She had expected music notes, lyrics, some kind of quote…not a seemingly random combination of letters and numbers. "What does it mean?"

"Ability User 017. Time Manipulator." Honoka answered, her voice soft. She didn't stutter like she used to but there was a quiver in her voice. "It's just a tag. I told you, I didn't want it to be put there."

"A tag…" Eli echoed, her fingers skirting carefully over the letters. Honoka was tense beneath her fingers but she couldn't help her curiosity. "What do you mean? What for?"

"I was in a camp. A world government restraint camp. I was…in the future, ability users aren't thought of as human. We're evil. We're savages, according to them, and we need to be stopped." Honoka sounded far away suddenly, her voice hoarse. "I was in one for a few months, I think. I was experimented on and…this was just my tag. So they could keep track of me, I suppose."

Eli wasn't sure she wanted to know, but she needed to ask. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad but she had to know either way. Her heart in her throat, she managed to speak. "Experimented on…how?"

"Blood tests, injections, physical tests, IQ and intelligence tests. They liked to push us to our limits, to see how much we could take from them." Honoka shuddered at the memory of her time in the camp. "Ability tests mainly. I was almost always under heavy drugs so I couldn't do much but they would push my abilities to the brink. The officers there liked to beat us too. I don't think that was part of the tests." She let out a bitter bark of laughter, even as her eyes misted over.

Eli let out a shuddering breath as her fingers continued to gently dance over the 'tag'. It was more horrible than she could have imagined. "Oh god…" The more she thought about it and pictured that happening to Honoka, the worse it got. She'd been tagged, like some kind of animal and tortured. 'Experiments', Honoka had said, but Eli knew what that meant. "Bastards! I'll…I'll…" She couldn't finish that sentence. There was nothing she could do.

Honoka felt Eli's fingers on her back start to get hot and she jolted in surprise, whipping around to face the blonde. Eli's eyes were damp with tears but her cheeks were flushed, her jaw clenched. There was no mistaking the fury in her expression.

 _"Remind me why we're doing this." Eli was knelt on the bed behind Honoka who was sitting cross legged, her back bared. She glanced contemplatively at the torch in her hand, her brow furrowing._

 _"I don't want to lie to you any more." Honoka answered simply. Eli had asked her so many times about what the officers and doctors had done to her but she'd never told the truth. "Just shine it on my back, Eli-senpai. You'll see."_

 _Eli sighed at the vague answer but flicked the torch on and shone the light onto Honoka's back. When a tattoo showed up, she almost dropped the torch in surprise. "Wh-What the hell is that? You got a tattoo?!"_

 _"The doctors gave me one. When I was at the camp. Ability User 017. Time Manipulator. I thought you might want to know." Honoka answered without looking over her shoulder._

 _Eli gripped the torch tighter, her gaze fixed to the tattoo. Anger flared in her chest, taking her breath away. She had heard of these identification tags from other camp survivors but she never thought they would be this horrifying to witness at first hand. Tears gathered in her eyes and the hand that was holding the torch was suddenly ignited, burning it to ash._

 _"Fucking bastards! Why the hell are they treating us like dogs!? We're human too! We're not some science project!" She could only picture how much torture Honoka had gone through. With no questions she sank down onto the ruddy bed and wrapped her arms around the younger woman. She didn't care about the bare skin that was obviously being displayed. It didn't matter._

 _A hitch was heard from Honoka, the trembling of her body only causing Eli to tighten her hold. She rested her forehead against the slightly rough patch of skin. "You didn't deserve any of this..I swear to you, no one will hurt you again, Honoka. I'll kill anyone who tries to hurt you."_

 _Honoka only sobbed harder in response to Eli's heartfelt announcement. She couldn't take the haunting images of the officers hurting innocents and the doctors prodding her. She turned around and wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck. The material of Eli's black tank top scratched against her bare chest._

 _"I was so scared. I thought I was going to die, I really thought I was going to never get out of there. It was like a prison. I-I felt like I deserved it because of my ability. Eli-Senpai, I…I wished I would hurry up and die. That the guards would hit me hard enough to kill me."_

 _"Don't say that!" Eli barked out, pulling back slightly. She gripped the back of Honoka's neck, their tear filled eyes meeting intently. It infuriated her, that Honoka had gone through that. She was angry at the government for doing it, at Umi for taking an active role in it and at herself for not stopping it. She should have been there. She should have made sure that Honoka was safe. "I'm never going to let them take you again, Honoka. They'll never touch you as long as I'm alive!"_

 _Honoka nodded shakily and leaned in, her forehead gently meeting Eli's between them._

—

 _Honoka felt normal for a change as she laughed at the two girls in front her. They were arguing, or more like shouting, Eli holding Nico in a rather painful headlock._

 _"You think it's funny to switch Honoka's drink with mine!? God damn it you know what she's like with vodka!" Eli yelled as she continued to try and fail to choke the immortal._

 _"You do remember this won't hurt me, right?" Nico smirked at the pathetic attempt. She waited a couple of moments for the blonde to calm down before she slipped her way out of her grip. She pushed the swaying Honoka toward her. "Get her to her room or yours, I don't care. I need to do something."_

 _"Don't you mean someone?" Eli countered as she lifted Honoka to her feet. She turned her head to the time manipulator and smiled at the peaceful features adoring her face. "Come on, we need to get some sleep."_

 _Nico rolled her eyes at Eli and waved goodbye before heading out the door, leaving them on their own._

 _Honoka lay her head on Eli's shoulder and groaned as the room span. "My head hurts…I'm not too drunk am I?"_

 _"Well you haven't asked me to light you up yet so I'd say no. Seems like you're getting better at holding vodka huh?" Eli teased gently as she wrapped her arm around Honoka's waist and began to lead her toward the doors. " You okay?"_

 _Honoka noticed that Eli had her hair up at the moment. She hadn't worn the style for a long time. "You look young." She whispered._

 _"What do you mean by that?! I'm 21 years old Honoka!" Eli spoke, alarmed and irritated. She was just about to drop the other girl when suddenly she heard a fit of giggles burst out of Honoka._

 _"No I didn't mean like that, I meant that you look like you did when you were seventeen…I always thought you looked really cute with your hair up like that!"_

 _Eli felt her cheeks redden and rolled her eyes. Honoka was always way too carefree when she was drunk. It was something she wished Honoka was when she was sober. Most of the time Honoka was very cautious around people. She certainly wasn't as social as she was when she was younger so it was always a rare pleasure to see her acting like her old self again. The person she had been before Umi's betrayal and the camp._

 _"Shut up and let's get you to bed."_

 _"Love you too, my dear onee-sama!"_

 _"Don't call me that! I prefer senpai over that honorific. Ugh, you're such a pain in the ass when you're drunk." Eli's cheeks flushed again and Honoka could only laugh before leaning in and patting Eli's head._

 _Life was good when she had her best friend with her._

 _—_

 _Honoka ignored the greetings of her fellow rebels, too focused on getting to Eli to pay them much attention. She had checked the medical wing and Nozomi had been there, sleeping peacefully, but Maki had told her that Eli had left a while ago. It wasn't something Honoka had expected to hear. That Eli hadn't been right at Nozomi's bedside was surprising enough._

 _She didn't slow down as she approached Eli's bedroom, bursting in unannounced instead. She found Eli sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands engulfed in flames. "Eli-senpai!" She hurried forward to Eli, reaching out for her only for Eli to quickly move out of her grasp. She blinked at the space Eli had previously occupied in confusion, noting the packed bag just behind where she'd been sitting. "Huh?"_

 _"Stay away from me."_

 _Honoka gaped at Eli in shock. "What?" She shook her head and took a couple of steps forward. Eli had never spoken to her like that before and it hurt more than she cared to admit. "What are you saying, Eli-senpai? It's me. We…" They would never tell the other to stay away. Other people, they would, but never each other. "It's just me."_

 _Eli bowed her head, a choked sob rising from her throat. "I know that, Honoka. I know." She clenched her flaming fists at her sides. She didn't trust them. "Just get out."_

 _"NO!" Honoka's voice rose, both in desperation and anger. She gestured wildly to the bag on the bed. "What the fuck is this?!"_

 _Eli turned around and clenched her jaw, tears slipping free from her eyes at the slight movement. "I'm leaving. Kotori is right, I'm reckless and I'm going to get someone hurt. I…" She trailed off as Honoka surged forward and grabbed her collar, shoving her back against the wall behind her. It took every ounce of willpower she had to push down the instinct to go up in flames. "H-Honoka…"_

 _"What's wrong with you?!" Honoka growled, her eyes misty with tears. "What about Nozomi-chan? What about me?"_

 _"I'm doing this for you!" Eli insisted, her voice slightly choked because of Honoka's grip. "You and Nozomi, you'd be better off without me…"_

 _"I'd be dead without you!" Honoka's sharp voice cut Eli off completely. "You think you're not essential here?! Do you know what would happen to Nozomi if you left? What would happen to me? You've made yourself essential to me! You've given me the strength I need to live! How am I supposed to do that if you leave me?"_

 _Eli's hands, now flame free reached up to grip Honoka's. "I hurt her, Honoka. I hurt her with my own hands."_

 _"You didn't mean to." Honoka spoke with conviction. She knew Eli didn't mean it. She would never willingly hurt Nozomi._

 _"How do you know that?!"_

 _"Because I know you." Honoka slowly released Eli's collar and gripped one of her wrists instead, lifting it slightly instead. "Show me your fire."_

 _Eli took a shuddering breath and tentatively lit her hand up, blue flames licking at her skin. When she noticed Honoka inching her hand forward she instinctively tried to tug hers away only to be stopped by Honoka's tight grip on her wrist._

 _"Honoka, stop!" She spoke urgently, her eyes wide with fear. "Don't. Please, I couldn't stand hurting you too. Please…" Honoka had already been hurt too much. More than anyone should be hurt. "Please, Honoka…"_

 _Eli's desperate pleading broke Honoka's heart but she knew there was nothing to be done about it. "It's fine, Eli-senpai." Her hand trembled as she inched it closer to Eli's. She didn't take her eyes off Eli's, nor did she miss the fact that they were full of tears again. "I trust you with my life." With that said, she pressed her palm firmly against Eli's , her fingers sliding between the other woman's. It didn't burn. It didn't even feel uncomfortable. Her hand was just enveloped by warmth. "See? I-I told you."_

 _Eli's lower lip trembled as she stared at their joined hands. She threw her free arm around Honoka's neck and pulled her close. "Do you think Nozomi will hate me?"_

 _Honoka scoffed and shook her head. "She could never hate you. Neither could I. We both love you too much for that so…don't ever leave us, alright?"_

 _Eli couldn't speak so she merely nodded and tightened her grip on Honoka._

—

Future Honoka wasn't sure when the tears had begun, too lost in her memories to have paid attention. All she knew was that now they had started they wouldn't seem to stop.

Eli opened and closed her mouth, surprised by Honoka's sudden change of mood. She didn't know what she had said or done to cause it and she didn't know what to do to fix it. All she could do was watch, her stomach in knots. The cries started off quiet at first, but after a couple of minutes Honoka seemed to collapse in on herself, the defenses she'd meticulously built up falling away with her tears.

"Honoka…" Eli ducked down slightly, meeting Honoka's eyes with some difficulty. She felt her breath catch in her throat at the pure devastation on Honoka's face. She noticed Honoka was grasping for something around her neck, but was only met with air. Her necklace was gone, she realized with a sharp inhalation. It was gone and yet Honoka was still reaching for it.

She couldn't take just watching anymore and she reached up to unclasp her necklace, taking it off quickly. Before she could think further into it, she'd put it around Honoka's neck, allowing her to clasp the small cross.

"Eli-senpai…" Honoka's eyes focused on Eli's and she slowly reached up with both hands, shakily pulling Eli's hair from the ponytail it was in. It fell neatly around her shoulders and Eli found herself holding her breath. As soon as their gazes met Honoka's expression crumbled once again. Eli kicked herself for being the cause of it and quickly wrapped her arms around the weeping woman, pulling her close to her chest.

"I'm sorry." Future Honoka clenched the shirt Eli was wearing tightly in her fists. "I never asked you to die for me! I wouldn't have….you shouldn't have…I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I…"

"I forgive you, Honoka." Eli felt her eyes sting with tears as she pressed her hand gently to the back of Honoka's head to hold her closer. "It's okay. I forgive you."

"I just want to forget everything. I just want this to be a nightmare…I just want to wake up next to Kotori-chan or with you and Maki-chan. I just want to wake up with everyone and know everything's okay." She choked and buried her head further against the teenager. "Please. I just want to go home, Senpai. You said…you promise you'd never leave me! Why did you…?"

It wasn't easy, to hold back her own tears. She'd always found it sweet but a little bit odd that Honoka insisted upon calling her that. Hearing it from the older version of her friend was achingly sad. "I'm sorry, Honoka. I'm so sorry…"

Honoka slowly lifted her head to meet Eli's watery stare. "Just let me die." She pleaded weakly. She was tired of fighting. She was just tired. It wasn't fair that she was the only one left. "Please."

"I can't." Eli lifted her hand to brush Honoka's tears from her cheeks with shaky fingers. "I just can't, Honoka."

Honoka's gaze was hurt and confused but Eli knew she wasn't really looking at her like that. She was looking at her Eli. "But…" She trailed off into a whimper, her lower lip trembling again. "It hurts. It hurts so much without you." Her hands clasped Eli's upper arms desperately, hard enough to leave a mark. "Why would you just leave me? I thought you loved me!"

Eli swallowed thickly against the lump in her throat. She would never be able to let her version of Honoka die. She could only assume that feeling was much stronger in the future. "I do love you. Why do you think I wouldn't let anything happen to you?"

Already pressed against Eli, it didn't take much effort to lean in and press her lips against the blonde's, the need for contact overwhelming her. Eli was warm against her, proof that she was there with her. Not dead. She was alive and breathing.

Eli's eyes widened briefly before closing. She was powerless to do anything but melt into the kiss. Maybe it was just what Future Honoka needed. Nozomi would have done the same thing, wouldn't she? She would be much more useful in the situation.

 _"She's hurting so much. Just do whatever you can…"_

Eli freed her arms from Honoka's light grip and wrapped them around her neck instead, drawing her closer still. Kissing Honoka was different to kissing Nozomi. Not in a good way or a bad way, it was just different. Even during moments of passion, there was more of a gentleness to Nozomi's kisses. Eli assumed Honoka was being a bit rough because of the sheer desperation she felt to be close to her. Her fingers drifted gently over the invisible tattoo on Honoka's back as she kissed her. As much as she hated what it had been put there for, she was fascinated by it.

Honoka released a soft sound of approval at the touch. Eli was acting exactly like her Eli would by touching the tattoo. She scooted back on the bed and pulled the pyro down with her as she lay down. The kiss broke for a moment and they found themselves staring intently at each other, their heavy breaths mixing between them.

"I love you." Honoka whispered, reaching up to brush a strand of Eli's hair from her face. She meant it like she always had, even given the situation they were in. She loved Eli as her friend, as her protector, as someone she knew she wouldn't be able to carry on without.

It seemed that Honoka was calming down but the emotional admission of love caused Eli's stomach to twist with guilt. She didn't know if it was the right thing to do to step in for the future version of herself but she knew that was who Honoka needed her to be for the moment.

"I know." She murmured, leaning in to gently rest her forehead against Honoka's. She didn't need to be an empath to feel the same ache Honoka felt. She could easily see how much the older woman was hurting. When Honoka kissed her again she didn't hesitate to return it even as her thoughts drifted to Nozomi. Her girlfriend would understand, better than anyone why Eli was allowing this to happen. She could feel what Honoka could feel, and what Eli felt. She would know why. More importantly there couldn't be any doubt that Eli loved Nozomi. She would always be able to feel that.

Honoka pulled away after a moment and carefully rolled them over so that she was on top. For a few seconds, Eli forgot to breathe as she took in the sight of Honoka straddling her. The time manipulator was still naked from the waist up and Eli could see every subtle movement of muscles as she shifted. Finally, Honoka leaned back down but instead of kissing the blonde again, she tucked her face into her neck and held on tightly.

"Don't leave me." Honoka whispered pleadingly against Eli's neck. She felt arms come up to wrap around her back and immediately felt safer. She couldn't help it, it was just the effect Eli seemed to have on her.

"I'm not going anywhere." Eli whispered into the darkness. She stayed like that long after Honoka had fallen asleep, wondering what Nozomi would say about what happened and about how much longer Honoka would last given the state she was in.

—

Umi stirred from her light sleep at the sound of movement in the next room. Warm bodies pressed against her from each side and a small smile tugged at her lips as she remembered Honoka and Kotori refusing to let her sleep alone. It was the furthest thing from what she'd wanted anyway. She nestled further into Honoka's arms, her eyes flitting closed again. Lying with the two of them like this she felt safer than she had in months.

Not wanting to move, she focused on the feeling of Kotori's even breathing brushing against the back of her neck. She shifted slightly, feeling both pairs of arms instinctively tighten around her. She sighed contentedly. This was how it was supposed to be, the three of them together. It had always been like that. Unwittingly she found herself trying to think further back to when they had met for the first time. It was a memory she often thought back to with great fondness. Now though, she couldn't remember anything about it. Her eyes shot open in surprise and she frantically scoured her memories. She couldn't have just forgotten something so important. It wasn't possible.

"Oh no…" She bit down hard on her lower lip. There was really only one explanation. Her mother had taken her memories. Hurriedly, she tried to think of another memory. One she had only recently been reminiscing about with Honoka. She knew there had been a time when she had kissed her friend's knee better after an especially rough fall but she couldn't recall that either. "Oh god…"

Suddenly feeling unbearably hot, she pushed Honoka and Kotori's arms off of her and quickly stood up from the bed. Her hand went to her chest where her heart was beating almost as quickly as it had been when she was at her house earlier. She watched as Kotori and Honoka gravitated toward one another, filling the gap she had left.

Quickly, she turned and left the room, closing the door carefully behind her. Nozomi had elected to give Umi her bed while she pulled out a futon for herself, Nico and Maki. Wary of disturbing them, Umi made her way to the kitchen. She was surprised to find Nozomi already in there, brewing some tea.

"N-Nozomi…" She stuttered, surprised to see the older girl was awake. "What are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Nozomi countered as she turned around. It hadn't escaped her notice when Umi had woken up of course, nor had she failed to recognize the other girl's sudden flare of panic. She decided not to question that just yet. "Do you want some tea?"

"Um…sure." Umi answered quietly, casting a look back into the other room. She could just about make out Nico and Maki under the futon.

Nozomi went back to what she was doing, pouring another cup of tea for Umi. She hadn't been able to sleep, too distracted by everything she could feel from Eli. Even with the blonde so far away she could feel everything she was feeling with startling clarity. The brush of fingers against slightly rougher skin, the play of muscles beneath her hands and the thrill of kissing someone for the first time.

She shuddered, her eyes half closing as she focused inadvertently on what Eli was feeling. A sudden thrum of arousal washed over her, leaving her wondering exactly what Honoka had done to elicit such a response. "Damn…"

"Are you okay?" Umi asked in concern, noticing the way Nozomi's cheeks had flushed.

"Of course." Nozomi answered, broken from her thoughts. She turned around and handed Umi one of the cups she'd poured tea into. "I was just thinking…Honoka's future self is pretty attractive, huh?"

"Um…" Umi blushed at the question. She couldn't say she hadn't noticed it. "Yeah, I guess. A bit. W-Why do you ask?"

"No reason…" Nozomi shrugged her shoulders in response. She had to bite her lip as she suddenly remembered the feeling of Honoka's future self wrapping her strong arms around Eli's body.

Umi sipped at her tea, unable to press the issue of what was bothering Nozomi. She could barely even think past her own problems. "Um…" The silence grew awkward after a moment though she wasn't sure what to say. "Honoka told me you slapped her future self."

"Oh?" Nozomi raised an eyebrow in amusement. "How does she know that?"

"Maki." Umi explained simply. She didn't need to give any more of an explanation than that. She watched as understanding seemed to dawn on Nozomi. "So um…you really did that for me?"

"Yeah. Why do you look so surprised?" Nozomi couldn't help but grin at the puzzled look on Umi's face. "You're my friend and I care about you. Besides, she needed a slap. She's so damn stubborn…"

Umi raised a brow at the answer, a slight uneasy thought coming to her mind. "You seem quite fond of her…"

Nozomi let out a short huff in response though it was just as hushed as the words that followed were. "Not really. I think she's fascinating, that's all. She's so different from our Honoka. She's less social than her for a start…"

"That's not really a good thing." Umi said quietly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Honoka had always been confident and outgoing. At least as far as Umi could remember, she had been. Her brow furrowed slightly in concentration. "Honoka's future self is colder than she used to be. My Honoka is…" She faltered, struggling to call upon her memories. It was like she could almost reach them, like words that were on the tip of her tongue. "She's not cold at all. She's never been like that." If she had anything to say about it, Honoka would never turn out to be that way. She would do whatever it took to keep that from happening. "She's always been warm and kind and…and…"

"Umi-chan?" Nozomi straightened up suddenly at the sight of tears flooding Umi's eyes. Quickly, she set her tea aside. "Hey, hey…what's wrong?"

"I can't remember…" Umi concentrated intently, trying to recall her childhood memories with Honoka and Kotori. They were childhood friends, they had plenty of memories together from that time. But she couldn't remember anything. "Meeting Honoka and Kotori, everything we did together…I can't…I can't remember. S-She must have taken my memories away…"

Nozomi quickly made her way over to Umi, taking the cup from her before it could fall from her shaking hands. "What do you mean, Umi-chan?"

"My mother. She…She took them…my childhood memories." Umi covered her mouth with her hand, a sharp sob tearing it's way from her throat. Those memories with Kotori and Honoka were some of the most precious she had.

Nozomi's eyes widened suddenly and as she watched tears slip down Umi's cheeks she stepped forward and embraced her tightly.

"I need to remember." Umi said through tears as she clutched at the back of Nozomi's shirt. She'd never thought she would lose those memories. She had taken them for granted. She focused intently, her head aching as she tried to force herself to remember.

"It's okay, Umi-chan…" Nozomi focused, trying to take away Umi's pain only to feel herself being pushed away.

"Please, don't!" Umi whimpered, keeping Nozomi at arms length. "I don't want you to suffer on my behalf." She was weak from the emotional draining of her distress. She felt the older girl hesitate before pulling her against her soft body, holding her just as tightly as before.

"I'm not going to let you suffer through this alone, Umi-chan." Nozomi said solemnly, refusing to release her grip even as Umi squirmed in her hold. "Do you think that's what Honoka-chan and Kotori-chan would want? You've pushed us away for long enough."

Umi stilled as the truth in Nozomi's words sank in. "I'm sorry. I-I don't know what else to do, Nozomi…"

"Just let us help you." Nozomi spoke in a whisper, gently rubbing Umi's back. "We all love you, Umi-chan. Especially Honoka-chan and Kotori-chan. You're not alone, I promise."

Finally, Umi nodded and relaxed into Nozomi's embrace.

TBC.


	11. Chapter 11

Rin wasn't sure how long she ran after Hanayo, only that it was getting dark and she was hungry. Super speed, as Maki often warned her, meant that she burned through far more calories than a normal person usually would so she had to eat more often. Because of that, the redhead seemed to be constantly pestering Rin to eat after she used her powers, or else she just pushed a protein bar into her hand with a warning look. It was sweet, Rin thought, that Maki wanted to take care of them all even if she wouldn't admit it to herself.

"Kayo-chin, stop!"

She wished that Hanayo would stop running and listen to her but her best friend showed no signs of stopping. Rin could easily get close to her. It would be easy for her to grab her and run off with her under any other circumstances but she couldn't touch Hanayo at all while she was using her phasing power. It was so frustrating, to be unable to do anything but keep up as her friend ran from her. She wouldn't have even had to use her ability to do that, but Hanayo kept phasing through walls to get away from her. She'd even disappeared into the sewers at one point, leaving Rin with no option but to use her speed.

She gritted her teeth together, ignoring the weakness she felt and pushed on. She didn't care what it took, she wasn't going to leave Hanayo alone when she was so upset. "KAYO-CHIIIIN!"

Hanayo looked back and Rin felt her chest tighten at the dampness of her friend's eyes. It wasn't fair, that Hanayo had to feel like this. She had only been trying to protect all of them. Rin should have been faster, she shouldn't have frozen like she had. She should have been the one to kill the guard, she was sure she could have handled it. Hanayo wasn't like her though, she was too good and pure to be able to handle the guilt of taking someone's life.

Thankfully, it seemed that Rin wasn't the only one who was tiring. Hanayo was clearly slowing down, even with her phasing to help her keep the distance between the two of them. Soon enough she stopped, bent at the waist with her hands on her knees. Rin stopped with her, swaying a little bit on her feet. For a moment, the two of them stood there, the only sound that of their heavy breathing. Finally, Hanayo lifted her head, a frown on her lips.

"I-I told you not to follow me!" She exclaimed breathlessly, reaching up to wipe her eyes. She hadn't even noticed that she wasn't using her ability anymore. Even such a passive power was hard to keep up. "W-Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"You were upset and running from me, how could I not follow you, nya?!" Rin's voice wasn't as bright and bubbly as usual, making the 'nya' at the end sound a bit odd and forced. "I would rather run all night then leave you alone!"

Hanayo's bottom lip trembled, her eyes suddenly awash with tears. "W-Why? Why would you want to be with me right now? I killed someone, Rin-chan! I…" She shook her head, curling an arm around her stomach. She was awful. She had torn someone's heart right from their chest without giving it so much as a few seconds of thought. "Oh god…" She felt herself weaken and stumbled to her knees, barely hearing Rin calling her name in a panic. Her knees had barely collided with the ground before she felt arms going around her and she sank forward against Rin's torso, hot tears spilling down her cheeks. "W-What did I…? I-I can't…"

Rin swallowed thickly against the lump in her throat. She'd never liked seeing Hanayo in pain. For some reason it always made her chest ache. She stared at her friend uncertainly before her jaw clenched determinedly. She couldn't just do nothing. She slipped her hand under Hanayo's knees and stood with some difficulty, glancing this way and that. Seeing nobody in sight, she took a deep breath and mustering up the last of her strength, used her ability to speed off with Hanayo in her arms. Arms looped around her neck and she felt Hanayo's face press closer to her chest. She didn't know whether it was to protect her face from the wind whipping against them or just for comfort.

It didn't take more than a few minutes for her to reach her house but upon seeing the car outside, her breath caught in her throat. Her father was there. A chill ran down her spine and she tightened her grip on Hanayo. She couldn't risk taking her inside when her father was there.

"Just another minute, Kayo-chin." She promised quietly, her voice trembling slightly as she thought of her father's reaction to her not being home. He would be furious, she was sure. Pushing the thought away she sped off with Hanayo again, holding the other girl as tightly to her chest as she could. She didn't have many options about where to take her. Nozomi's apartment came to mind but she knew that the others might be there, especially if they wanted to stay together. She only had one other option.

Gritting her teeth, she changed direction. It only took a few minutes until she reached the all too familiar building. She rushed through the door, into the spacious interior. She didn't slow down until she reached the mattress she'd placed in the corner. The speed at which she'd entered sent a pile of paper flying around. Notes from school, she realized, though she couldn't bring herself to care.

Rin set Hanayo down on the mattress with some difficulty, having to loosen the arms from around her neck. After, she stumbled away to get some matches. Her limbs felt heavy and she felt even sicker than she had a moment ago. She went through the backpack she kept leaning against the wall, finally emerging with a bottle of water and a raggedy cloth.

When she returned to the mattress Hanayo had moved. Now she was huddled in the corner, her knees pulled to her chest as she stared vacantly ahead. Rin knelt in front of her, hoping to catch her eye but it seemed that Hanayo didn't even realize that she was there. Sighing, she poured some of the water onto the cloth and carefully reached toward Hanayo. She had worried that Hanayo would flinch away but she just continued to stare straight forward, allowing Rin to gently wipe the blood from her cheek.

Rin sighed again but continued what she was doing, after a moment turning her attention to Hanayo's hands. Her right hand was covered in blood. Carefully, Rin grasped Hanayo's wrist and began to wipe at her palm, trying to get the blood off. It was difficult, given that it was everywhere, even under her nails, but she worked diligently, determined to wipe away the evidence of what Hanayo had done.

A short while passed before Hanayo spoke up, her voice raspy. "How can you do that?"

Rin looked up sharply, having been engrossed in what she was doing. Finally, Hanayo was looking at her rather than staring past her. "Rin's used to it. It's just blood, nya."

"No, I mean…you're touching me. Taking care of me." Hanayo's brow was furrowed in genuine confusion. "Rin-chan, I…I put my hand in someone's chest and I ripped their heart out." The thought left her so sickened that she thought for a moment she might throw up right there. "Why aren't you disgusted by me?"

"What?" Rin tilted her head a little, troubled by the question. She couldn't imagine ever feeling that way toward Hanayo. "You're Kayo-chin. How could Rin…?"

Hanayo snatched her hand back. "Didn't you hear me? I _killed_ someone! Someone who probably had a family, who had a life ahead of them and I just…I took that away with my own hands." She bowed her head, her vision blurring once again. "I'm a monster."

Not for the first time, Rin wished she had gotten there first. If she'd been a bit faster she could have saved Hanayo the guilt she was feeling. "That's not true! Kayo-chin isn't like that at all. Nico-chan and Rin killed people too, nya! It wasn't just you!"

Hanayo shook her head in response. That didn't make her feel any better. She didn't want to kill people with her power and she didn't want Rin to either.

"Kayo-chin?" Rin shuffled forward and folded her arms atop Hanayo's knees. She leaned in and rested her forehead against Hanayo's, the only way she could think to get closer. "It doesn't matter what you do, you're still my best friend. You didn't mean to, you were just protecting everyone." She felt her guilt return and her voice clogged with emotion. "I wish I had gotten there faster, nya. I wish I had done it!"

Hanayo swallowed back a sob and reached up, her hand finding the back of Rin's head. "Don't say that. T-That's not what I want." She was met with silence and she made no move to speak up, merely drawing strength from Rin's closeness. Finally, she lowered her hand and felt Rin lean back. She took a moment to look around. They seemed to be in an old abandoned warehouse or an empty factory of some kind. Though they were huddled in the corner, the room was large. "Where are we?"

Rin flushed at the curious question. "M-My old hideout." She answered honestly, leaning back. "Rin comes here when…" She trailed off hesitantly. She couldn't exactly tell Hanayo why she used the hideout. She knew that Hanayo already suspected something was wrong but she'd never told her the truth. "I thought we could stay here tonight?"

Hanayo hesitated for a moment. Even considering the way she was feeling she was concerned about how unclean the place was. Finally, she nodded. It was better than going home. This time she didn't pull away as Rin went back to cleaning the blood from her hand.

—

Nozomi breathed a sigh of relief as she rounded the corner in the hallway and didn't find anyone else in sight. It had been hard enough to get the key to Honoka's room. She didn't need anyone asking questions. She strode to Honoka's door and slid the key into the lock, turning it quickly. She let herself in after, her gaze falling to the two in the bed. She wasn't all that surprised to find that Honoka was only half dressed. It explained the feelings she'd felt in Eli the night before.

Nozomi stepped into the room and opened her mouth, preparing to wake the two but she stopped abruptly, noticing the necklace around Honoka's neck and the lack of one around Eli's. She wasn't sure she had ever seen her girlfriend take that necklace off. She quietened, watching the two carefully. Honoka was clutching Eli tightly, almost as if she was afraid to let go of her. The tear tracks on her cheeks made it obvious she'd had a rough night though of course Nozomi didn't need that to know. She'd felt it herself.

Sighing, she slid off her shoes and jacket and carefully made her way to the bed, slipping beneath the covers on Honoka's other side. She moved closer to the other girl and almost expecting Honoka to wake up, slid an arm carefully around her waist. She was relieved when the future version of her friend shifted slightly but didn't wake up.

"What are we going to do with you?" Nozomi whispered, using her free hand to gently rub at the tear stains on Honoka's face. They didn't rub away but she hadn't expected them to anyway. She settled back down, laying her head on Honoka's pillow and closed her eyes. It pained her to think of everything Future Honoka had gone through in her time so she tried not to dwell on the scars she noticed upon her skin, or the way she whimpered every few minutes and clutched onto Eli tighter. The only thing Nozomi could do in response was hold her tighter. Eventually, she drifted off to sleep herself.

It was a few hours later when Honoka finally woke up to a familiar warmth at either side. A small smile tugged at her lips as she recognized it for what it was. Nozomi and Eli. It was hardly the first time she had woken up sandwiched between them like she was now. She'd done it many times in the past, much more than she could remember, especially after she'd escaped the camp.

 _Honoka hesitated outside of Nozomi and Eli's room, her hand lifted to knock though she couldn't quite bring herself to go ahead and do it. She knew they were both in there and hadn't seen each other in a few days because Nozomi had been away on a mission. There was no way she wouldn't be intruding. Still, she couldn't bring herself to walk away. Not when Kotori wasn't around for her to go to. Maki sprung to mind though if Honoka was honest, she still couldn't face the doctor alone. She still needed Eli, Kotori or Nozomi to be there when she went for checkups. Just to be safe._

 _She had almost convinced herself to turn around and walk away when the door opened and she found herself face to face with a bemused looking Nozomi._

 _"Are you coming in or not, Honoka-chan?" Nozomi asked with a gentle smile as she held the door open a little bit wider. Past her shoulder, Honoka could see Eli already in bed though she was sitting up, her gaze on the door. "You've been standing out here for twenty minutes already."_

 _Honoka laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of her neck. "I was just…uh…Kotori-chan's away tonight and I um…I guess I couldn't sleep."_

 _"We know. Why do you think we're still awake?" Nozomi reached forward and grabbed Honoka's hand, tugging her into the room. When Honoka flinched a little bit at the touch she didn't say anything though she did look a bit apologetic and quickly let go. "We've been waiting for you."_

 _"Really?" Honoka looked surprised and glanced over at Eli who merely smiled in response. "I was…worried that I might be bothering the two of you. I thought maybe…since you just got back…"_

 _"You thought what?" Nozomi raised a suggestive eyebrow. "Were you having dirty thoughts about us again, Honoka-chan? I've told you, you have to ask Kotori-chan first…"_

 _Honoka blushed fiercely at Nozomi's typical teasing. "I-I didn't mean it like that! I just didn't want to intrude…"_

 _"You're not, Honoka." Eli spoke up for the first time, shooting Nozomi a slightly irritated look. "We want you here. Come on, hurry up and get into bed. I just want to sleep." She patted the space next to her and watched as Honoka briefly hesitated before getting in._

 _Nozomi watched as Honoka scooted close to Eli's side, the blonde's arm going around her. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of their usual position. It was sweet that Honoka gravitated toward Eli now. She remembered a time when Honoka couldn't even look Eli in the eye. She knew it had hurt her girlfriend more than she would say. Flicking the lights off, Nozomi got into the bed herself and shifted close, her arm going about Honoka's waist._

 _Honoka sighed contentedly at the feeling of the two of them pressed against her from both sides. "That's better." She murmured to herself, relieved that she wouldn't have to go back to bed and face a sleepless night. It was almost what she had wound up doing._

For the briefest and most blissful of moments, Honoka thought she was back there again, just waking up between Nozomi and Eli like always. But it wasn't the case and the memories of what had happened to her friends quickly came back to her. She would never wake up like this with her Eli and Nozomi again. Her eyes stung with tears and she pressed her face into Nozomi's chest, overwhelmed by the truth. Her Nozomi would never tease her like she used to again, her Eli would never get to gently berate Nozomi for her teasing. Those two would never live to see the future they had planned out together.

She didn't truly realize she was crying until she felt arms wrap around her, fingers combing gently through her hair and heard Nozomi whispering softly to her. She couldn't make out what she was saying, probably because she was crying too loudly. It wasn't fair. None of it was fair. She felt Eli press against her back, a hand taking hold of her own but she couldn't say anything. She couldn't think past her grief.

Nozomi shared a concerned look with Eli who just shook her head in response. She had worried that this might happen. Honoka's breakdown the night before had been frightening but it had been briefly interrupted by Honoka seeing her as her Eli. That had seemed to anchor her for a while but now she was falling apart once again.

There was nothing either of them could say or do to make the situation any better so they settled for holding Honoka tightly until she finally quietened down. It took a few minutes but she finally seemed to regain some control. After that it only took a few seconds of sniffling into Nozomi's chest before she wordlessly pushed herself away and slid to the end of the bed.

Nozomi and Eli shared another look as Honoka moved away from them. Neither of them wanted her to push them away but it seemed that was exactly what she was going to do.

Finally, Eli cleared her throat as Honoka pulled on a shirt. "D-Do you mind if I take a shower? I didn't get a chance last night."

"Yeah, go ahead." Honoka answered without looking back toward Eli. She turned her head, wiping her eyes on her shirt. She tried not to think about what had happened the night before. She had lost control of herself completely. She could hardly expect them to trust her when she acted like that and yet she'd been unable to react any other way. She had lost every connection she had to her future and her friends. Her engagement ring, the vial of Nico's blood, Eli's necklace. They were all gone.

Nozomi waited until she heard the shower come on before she spoke. "Hey, Senpai…"

"You don't have to call me that." Honoka managed to say, standing up from the bed. "I was just messing with you."

Nozomi frowned as she watched Honoka rise from the bed and move to get dressed fully. "I like it. It suits you." She stood up too, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I was just going to say, if you want to talk about anything, I'll listen."

Honoka buttoned her jeans, trying to ignore the way her chest tightened. "I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. I don't want to think at all." She turned, meeting Nozomi's concerned gaze. "I'm going out. Let yourselves out."

"Wait, you're not…" Nozomi rubbed at her own chest, her eyes stinging slightly. It was impossible for her to block that level of loss and pain out. It was too strong. "You're not going to…"

Honoka paused as Nozomi struggled to voice her thoughts. She didn't have to hear the rest to know what she wanted to ask her. "You don't have to worry about me doing anything like that. I have to save you all first." If she was honest with herself she didn't see any other way out but she wouldn't abandon her responsibilities. "I made a promise."

Keeping that promise would hardly make up for her abandoning Nico, but it was the only thing she could do.

Nozomi opened her mouth to protest but Honoka had already teleported from the room. Sighing, she stood from the bed herself and took a few minutes to wander around the room while she waited for Eli to finish her shower. There wasn't much in the way of personal belongings in the room, in fact the only thing that drew her attention was the notes pinned to a board on the far wall. She walked closer, scanning them quickly though she knew she wouldn't remember. Hearing the shower turn off in the next room, she took out her cell phone and snapped a quick picture, deciding to take a look later.

A moment later, Eli walked out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. She gave pause, noticing that Honoka was missing. Her eyes darted quickly around the room. "Where did Honoka go?!"

"She said she had something to do…" Nozomi watched as Eli hurried across the room and began to get dressed as quickly as she could.

"I have to go after her! Who knows what kind of trouble she'll get into in her state." The way Honoka had crumbled in front of her the previous night came to mind and she tried to pull her clothes on faster.

"Elichi, calm down. Honoka can handle herself." Nozomi crossed the room and lay a comforting hand on Eli's shoulder only to be shrugged off.

"You didn't see what I did, Nozomi…"

"No, I didn't. I felt it." Nozomi said pointedly. She was relieved when Eli hesitated. "I know you're worried, but it's going to be okay."

Eli shook her head. "How do you know that?"

"Because we'll keep her safe." Nozomi gently cupped Eli's cheek in her hand, brushing her thumb over soft skin. "What happened last night really got to you, huh?" She watched as Eli's eyes darted left and right, instinctively knowing what was coming. She wrapped an arm around her girlfriend's shoulder, drawing her close. "She'll be okay."

Eli wasn't sure she believed that. She wasn't even sure Nozomi herself believed that but she couldn't bring herself to argue so she merely leaned into the embrace, giving a short nod against Nozomi's shoulder.

Nozomi's gaze shifted toward the board on the far wall. From what she had seen it seemed that Honoka had something planned. She wasn't sure what, but whatever it was it was clear that Honoka planned to do it alone. Nozomi was determined not to let that happen.

"Nozomi…" Eli spoke up carefully, her grip on Nozomi's shirt loosening. "About last night…" She hesitated for a second, wondering if Nozomi had felt what she had. "Are we okay?"

Nozomi gave a gentle laugh and drew back to meet Eli's worried blue eyes. "Of course. I can't blame you, Honoka is a total babe." She pressed her lips gently to Eli's, a simple kiss of reassurance. "I trust you, Elichi."

Eli visibly relaxed at the response. She had been worried that Nozomi would be annoyed with her at least. She noticed Nozomi's gaze drift over her shoulder and turned her head, frowning at the board behind her.

Nozomi's eyes widened in alarm and she reached for Eli's hand, giving a gentle tug. "Let's go. I want to make sure Nicocchi hasn't wrecked my apartment." She was relieved that the gentle tug seemed to distract Eli though she remained somewhat on edge until they left the apartment.

—

Kotori awoke to the feeling of arms tightly around her waist. Unused to waking up to the feeling, she flinched slightly and felt the arms tighten around her. She quickly opened her eyes and relaxed when she found that she was just in Honoka's embrace.

A small smile flitted to her face and she lifted her hand, gently brushing her fingers against Honoka's cheek. In response, Honoka inhaled and turned into the touch, her brow furrowing in confusion at the touch. The look reminded Kotori of the way Honoka had been staring at Umi the night before. She had been so worried about their friend after what had happened. So had she if she was honest but she was much better at hiding it than Honoka was.

Remembering that Umi had been sleeping between the two of them the previous night, Kotori carefully pushed herself up on her elbow and glanced worriedly around the room in search of her. She breathed a soft sigh of relief when she found Umi sitting on the edge of the bad, staring out of the window, an empty cup held in her grasp. Her relief didn't last very long as she noticed the drying tear tracks on Umi's cheeks.

Gently, she gripped Honoka's wrist and removed her arm from around her. She was met with a little bit of resistance and smiled softly at the intention behind it. It was sweet, even if Honoka was sleeping. She covered Honoka up as best she could before she crawled across the bed to Umi's side.

"Umi-chan." She gently bumped her shoulder against Umi's and offered a gentle smile. "You're awake early."

Umi hadn't noticed Kotori approaching, too lost in her own thoughts and almost dropped the cup she'd been loosely cradling. "Kotori! Oh, I um…I went to get a drink and I didn't want to disturb the two of you when I got back."

"You've been crying." Kotori had tried to hold back so as not to make her feel uncomfortable but she couldn't. Her best friend was hurting, that much was obvious. "Are you upset about your mom? Or Honoka's future self?"

Umi paused for a moment. She was upset about those things. She was upset that her mother had turned against her, that she would go so far as to take her memories from her. She was upset that the future version of Honoka had ever hated her. She was upset about future Honoka's breakdown the previous night. Selfishly, she was most upset about what she had lost the previous night.

"Kotori…" She was silent again, lightly biting her bottom lip as she considered what she was going to say. Finally, she released her lip to speak. "I have to tell you something."

Kotori felt her stomach sink at the words. Usually they never meant anything good. "What is it, Umi-chan? You can tell me anything, you know that."

Umi shook her head slightly and looked in Kotori's direction. Kotori inhaled upon seeing tears swimming once again in Umi's eyes. "You have to promise not to tell Honoka. No matter what. I don't care if she begs you to tell her what's wrong with me, you…"

"Alright, alright." Kotori said, reaching up to place a soothing hand on Umi's shoulder. "Honoka-chan doesn't have to know. If…you don't want her to know, I won't tell her. Just tell me what's wrong."

Umi cast a wary look back at Honoka to make sure she was asleep. "I…I've lost my memories, Kotori. Of meeting you and Honoka. My childhood, w-with the two of you…" She swallowed convulsively, the confession to one of her childhood friends suddenly making everything seem so much more real. "My mother took them when she…she…"

For a moment, Kotori could only stare at Umi as she took in what was being said. She couldn't quite believe it but she knew Umi wouldn't lie about something like that. She drew back slightly, her hand shifting to cover her mouth as her eyes prickled with tears. "How much do you… do you remember? W-What about the tree? Our first camping trip together, the first time Honoka had to go to the hospital, the…"

"I don't remember any of it!" Umi exclaimed, maybe a little bit more sharply than she should have. She noticed Kotori flinch and closed her eyes for a moment to calm down. They snapped open at the sound of a soft sob from next to her. For a moment she thought that Honoka had woken up and overheard the two of them but it was just Kotori, bent slightly at the waist as she buried her face into her hands

"Kotori…" She shifted close to her friend and began to reach out only for Kotori to move quickly. Suddenly, arms were around her neck and she found herself being tightly embraced.

"I'm sorry, Umi-chan. I'm so sorry." Kotori's voice was thick with emotion, the sound making it impossible for Umi to hold onto her composure. She lifted her arms and returned the embrace, the tears she'd refused to let fall finally sliding down her cheeks.

"It's not fair! M-My memories with you and Honoka were the only good childhood memories I had and she just took them, Kotori! She took them and left me with my memories of training, of learning to be a good warrior like she wanted!" Her hands clenched in Kotori's shirt. "I hate her so much!"

"I know." Kotori whispered, wiping at her own tears with the back of her hand. She hated Umi's mother too. To have taken her daughter's precious childhood memories was despicable. Kotori couldn't imagine how she would feel if she lost her own. If she knew that she used to have them but couldn't recall them. "It's going to be okay, Umi-chan. We'll make new memories! Honoka-chan and I will make new ones with you, even happier ones." Her voice broke slightly and she hugged Umi tighter, trying to emphasize her point. "Honoka-chan will never know, don't worry."

Both she and Umi knew that if Honoka were ever to find out what Umi's mother had taken she would set out to kill her.

"But…" Umi trailed off helplessly. She did want new memories with Honoka and Kotori, but she wanted her old memories too. She wanted to remember the moment they first met, she wanted to remember the tree Kotori had mentioned. She didn't want to lose a single memory of her time with them but she had lost it all. Everything was just gone. She felt tears form in the corners of her eyes again but stubbornly blinked them away. It could be a lot worse, she knew that, but to her it didn't feel like it. She quietened down, resting her forehead against Kotori's shoulder and inhaling her scent to calm herself. She was just about dozing off when Honoka's voice interrupted them.

"Umi-chan? Kotori-chan?" Honoka's sleep filled voice caused Kotori and Umi to pull back from the embrace. They looked to her, both smiling inadvertently as they watched her groggily rub her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Still early." Kotori carefully pulled away from Umi's loose hold on her and got to her feet. "I'm going to make some tea. I think I heard Maki-chan moving around out there." She discreetly wiped at her eyes before she left the room, leaving Honoka and Umi behind.

Honoka finished rubbing her own eyes, though for a completely different reason than Kotori. Confused, she looked over at Umi, frowning when she noticed the tear stains on her cheeks. "What's wrong, Umi-chan? Did something happen?"

Umi shook her head. No matter how upset she was about her memories being taken, she wouldn't tell Honoka. "It's nothing." She turned and crawled over to Honoka, straddling her lap.

Honoka could only gape in surprise as Umi's arms went around her neck, the other girl's forehead coming to rest against her own. She felt her skin flush at the close proximity. "U-Umi-chan…"

"Honoka." Umi gripped Honoka a little bit tighter. "I want…I need…"

"What?" Honoka whispered hopefully when Umi trailed off helplessly. She didn't know what she could do to make Umi feel better. "What do you need?"

Umi swallowed thickly, certain that her voice would crack if she tried to speak so soon. Part of her wished she could tell Honoka what was going on, but she knew that the news of happened would upset her friend, maybe even more than it was upsetting her. "Just…" She lowered her gaze, focusing intently on Honoka's collarbone. It was easier to do that than look her in the eyes. "Tell me you love me."

Honoka's brow furrowed slightly at the request. Umi wasn't acting like herself. Clinging to her, that emotional request…it just wasn't like her. "I love you, Umi-chan." She lifted her hand to Umi's cheek, gently encouraging her to meet her gaze. "Please, just tell me what's wrong. I'm your girlfriend, you should be able to tell me anything, right?"

For a moment, Umi thought that she had heard Honoka wrong and could only stare in surprise. Finally, she found her voice. "Y-You're my…what?"

"Your girlfriend." Honoka repeated simply, unfazed by Umi's confusion. "I am, aren't I? You're my best friend, and you like kissing me so…that makes us more than friends. It means we're dating."

"Um. Y-Yeah…" Umi blushed at the admission. She was confused by how Honoka had come to that conclusion but it wasn't as though she didn't want to date her. The opposite was true.

"So tell me what's wrong." Honoka was determined not to be distracted from the topic at hand, even with Umi's agreement to be her girlfriend. "I want to know, Umi-chan. I'm worried abou-" she was cut off rather abruptly by Umi's lips suddenly pressing against her own, immediately causing her to forget what she had been talking about. It was as though she melted beneath the touch, her body reacting of it's own accord as she kissed back. Her free hand went to Umi's waist in an attempt to draw her closer.

Umi shuddered slightly as Honoka had kissed her back. It wasn't surprising after their last couple of encounters but the fact that her best friend was kissing her was still somewhat thrilling. She had no idea how she had never realized this was what she'd wanted. It seemed to be so obvious now. She pressed herself closer to Honoka still, feeling the other girl nip gently at her lip. She inhaled slightly, giving Honoka a chance to deepen the kiss.

"Mmm…Honoka…" She barely managed to mumble between kisses, both in protest and simply because she wanted to say the name. Her girlfriend's name. As much as she wanted to keep kissing her, they needed to stop.

"Hmm?" Honoka's lips strayed to Umi's neck, allowing her to speak again though Umi found she couldn't. Not with the way Honoka was kissing and nipping at her skin, cool hands finding their way beneath her shirt and to the skin underneath. Her skin tingled at the touch and she gasped softly. She felt Honoka smirk against her neck, catching the sound and wasn't sure whether to berate her for being smug or plead with her to keep going. Suddenly Honoka was pulling back, leaving Umi feeling confused until hands gripped at the hem of her sleep shirt.

"Can I take this off?" Honoka asked, staring up at Umi through eyes darker than usual.

"Ye…wait, no!" Umi shook her head adamantly. They couldn't do anything like what Honoka clearly had in mind. "W-We can't…"

"Oh?" Honoka smiled at Umi's answer but let go of her shirt. Slyly, she gripped her own and tugged it up. "Maybe I should take this off. Umi-chan liked it when I took my clothes off in the student council room."

Umi gaped at Honoka as she slowly tugged her shirt off, revealing smooth skin. "Honoka, that's shameless!" Her exclamation only earned her a light laugh.

"You like it though, don't you?" Honoka leaned back and watched as Umi's gaze seemed to drift south of her face. "You can touch if you want to, Umi-chan."

Umi lifted her hand, tempted to reach forward and do as Honoka asked. Her hand inched forward but a rustle in the next room caught her attention and she quickly drew it back. "W-We can't! Kotori and the others are in the next room!"

Honoka huffed and leaned back against the pillows behind her though she didn't look displeased. "Umi-chan kissed me first."

Umi grinned at Honoka's disappointment. "And I'll kiss you again." She leaned in, kissing Honoka gently to prove her point. It was brief but when she pulled away she didn't go far. "I'll remember this when we're really alone."

"A-Alone?" Honoka stuttered in surprise. She had only been teasing, though she remembered what they had done in the student council room clearly. She blushed heavily, glancing briefly around the room before she looked back into Umi's eyes. "Uh, I-I think, um…you should…" She began only to be interrupted by the door to Nozomi's room being swung open.

"Umi-chan, Honoka-chan! Sorry I took so long getting the tea, Nozomi-chan has so many that I couldn–" Kotori stopped mid sentence, noticing the position her two friends were in. Umi was on Honoka's lap, her arms around the other girl's neck while Honoka's hands were placed upon Umi's waist. Both of them blushing but what Kotori was more interested in was the fact that Honoka was half naked. It was obvious she had interrupted something quite dropped the mugs of tea she was holding, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Oh my god, I'm so s-sorry!"

She had known there was something going on between her friends after seeing the kiss between them the previous day but walking in on them in such a position wasn't something she had ever expected. She hurriedly covered her eyes and turned to leave the room only to bump into the half closed door. She yelped, more in surprise than shock.

Umi felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. Even if she wasn't half naked like Honoka was, being caught in such a shameful position was bad enough. She scrambled up from the bed and bolted out of the room toward the bathroom, muttering an apology to Kotori on the way out of the room.

Honoka frowned as she watched Umi leave the room. It was only Kotori, she didn't see what the big deal was. "Umi-chan gets embarrassed so easily…"

Kotori peeked out from behind her hands. If there was ever a reason to be embarrassed, being walked in on was it. "Remember that this is the same girl who got embarrassed when I made her skirt too short, Honoka-chan."

Honoka gave a sheepish laugh and rubbed the back of her neck, not noticing the way Kotori's gaze dropped to her bare torso when she did so. "It's cute."

Kotori failed to answer, too distracted by the sight before her. It seemed like Honoka had been working out.

Honoka noticed the silence and her brow furrowed slightly in concern. "Kotori-chan? Did you hit your head?" She patted the space in front of her. "Let me look."

"W-What?!" Kotori exclaimed in alarm, her gaze flitting back to Honoka's. There was no way she could let Honoka touch her, not when she was so distracted by her friend's torso. "I-I uh…" She looked around for something to distract herself with, finding the mugs at her feet to be a good excuse. "Oh, look at this mess. I'll have to clean it up."

Quickly, she stooped to pick the mugs up. To her relief they weren't broken, or even chipped but there was tea all over the floor. "Y-You should get dressed, Honoka-chan." She stood and made her way quickly out of the room, only to run into Nico in the hallway. The third year seemed to be hammering on the bathroom door.

"Umi, you better hurry up in there! I need to go!"

"I-I'm busy, Nico!" Umi yelled back through the bathroom door.

Nico threw her hands up in exasperation. She had been on the way to the bathroom when Umi had barged past her and slipped into the room herself. "Seriously?! Where the hell is Nozomi? It's just like her to invite us to stay and then leave us here by ourselves. UMI!"

Kotori slipped past Nico and rapped her knuckles lightly against the door. She hadn't failed to notice the stutter to Umi's voice. "Umi-chan?" She called in concern. "Are you alright?"

"Fine!" Umi called back, her voice slightly higher than usual with panic. Behind the door, she gripped at her suddenly aching head. As soon as she had parted from Honoka and Kotori, the pain had hit her. Not just pain, but the feeling that something was being torn away from her.

 _"Honoka, stop annoying Kotori!" Umi berated irritably as she looked over the top of her textbook at Honoka, who was clearly trying to peek over Kotori's shoulder. While Umi had taken up the desk Kotori had elected to sit on the floor with her back against the bed. Honoka, ever the slacker, was on the bed, trying to see the answers over Kotori's shoulder._

Umi held onto her head tighter, her fingers curling into her hair. "Stop it! Damn it, stop it!" She couldn't take it any more. Having the memories of her childhood disappear had been bad enough but she could feel more memories being taken, much slower this time. "No…"

 _"I'm not annoying her! Am I Kotori-chan?" Honoka grinned innocently over at Umi who gave her an unimpressed look in response._

 _"Not at all." Kotori answered, laughing softly in response when Honoka's arms wrapped around her neck in a light embrace. "Come on, Honoka-chan. I'm trying to concentrate. If you get off me, I'll give you one answer."_

 _"You spoil her too much, Kotori." Umi rolled her eyes and went back to working on her homework though she couldn't help but smile slightly at the sound of her friends talking animatedly behind them. She was lucky to have them._

"Umi-chan?" Kotori's knocking on the door became a bit firmer, her voice rising slightly in concern for her friend. "Can I come in?"

The memory she had felt slipping away, that she had been clinging onto disappeared completely, leaving Umi with no way to recall what she had been trying to remember. She didn't even hear what Kotori was saying to her, too wrapped up in the fact that she had lost something else. Her eyes clouded with tears, a sharp sob sounding from her throat. What had she been trying to remember? How was it possible that she couldn't remember?

"Umi-chan, I'm coming in!" Kotori waited for a split second before she walked into the bathroom, just in time to see Umi's knees buckle. She lurched forward, catching her before she could fall. "U-Umi-chan?"

Kotori's presence caused the pain in Umi's head to fade immediately but without that distraction, Umi had a moment to focus on the ache in her chest. Another memory gone. It was unthinkable. She clutched Kotori tightly and cried softly into her shoulder, neither of them noticing that Maki had entered the room after Kotori.

Maki closed and locked the door, keeping Nico from seeing what was going on.

"Oh come on!" Nico exclaimed from the hallway, frustration clear in her voice.

Finding it difficult to support Umi, Kotori sank to her knees with her best friend and gently stroked her hair, trying to calm her down. "It's okay, Umi-chan. I'm right here."

Maki stooped down in front of Umi, gently placing her hands on her shoulders. "Umi, I know something weird is going on with you. You need to let me take a look, okay?"

"No!" Umi exclaimed, clutching Kotori tighter. "Please. I already had someone in my head, violating my memories. I can't…not again…"

Kotori frowned at Umi's tearful remark and held her closer. She didn't know what to do for the best. On one hand she wanted to tell Maki to back off but on the other she knew it was in Umi's best interest to let Maki look.

"I won't hurt you, Umi." Maki said gently, wary of Umi's state. She had never seen her so upset before. "I'll just take a quick look. It'll only take a second." She inched her hand forward, her fingertips grazing Umi's temple before the older girl flinched away.

"I said NO!" Umi said loudly, Turning her head, she pressed her face into Kotori's chest, tears seeping into her shirt. "Don't let her, Kotori…"

Kotori wondered about the last time she had heard Umi sound so weak. She couldn't even recall it. She shot Maki a look. "Leave her, Maki-chan. If she says no…"

"Umi-chan!" Honoka's voice sounded suddenly, just outside of the door. "Kotori-chan? Maki-chan? Are you all alright?" The door handle turned repeatedly. "Why is the door locked? Is Umi-chan crying?!" Her voice darkened suddenly at the thought and she tried the handle again. "Unlock the door! Umi-chan, what's wrong?!" Panicked, she tried to shoulder open the door. After what she'd seen the previous day being separated from Umi sent an icy chill down her spine. "UMI-CHAN!"

"Honoka…" Umi murmured, lifting her head from Kotori's shoulder. She blinked back tears until the door came into focus. All she wanted in that moment was both Honoka and Kotori by her side.

Kotori seemed to realize what Umi was thinking. "Let her in, Maki-chan. Umi-chan needs her." She met Maki's reluctant gaze for a moment until Maki pushed herself to her feet and went to open the door. A moment later Honoka rushed into the room, stumbling to her knees next to Umi.

Kotori loosened her embrace to let Umi go but she was surprised when Umi only reached out to Honoka rather than move toward her. It didn't take Honoka more than a second to move forward, embracing both of them.

"MAKI!" Nico kicked at the door. "LET ME IN, COME ON! I need to fucking pee!"

Maki rolled her eyes at Nico's antics and turned to watch the three girls on the floor. It pained her to know that she couldn't help even though the help she could offer was what Umi needed but she wouldn't force her. She was nothing like Umi's mother.

—

"I still think we should have attacked them when we had the chance." Anju commented dryly as she leaned back in her seat. "It's not like they could take us right now."

She was sure that none of µ's could, though she had to admit that she'd been a little bit intimidated by the way one of the youngest had torn one of the guard's heart out. That is, until the girl had reacted. It didn't seem like she'd meant to do it. It was disappointing in a way. None of those girls stood a chance against them.

As if reading her mind, Erena spoke up quietly. "Don't underestimate them. It might end up being our downfall."

Tsubasa cast a slightly amused look toward the two of them. They were so different it was funny to listen to them sometimes. "She's right, there's no way they can take us down, even with the time traveller."

Erena huffed out an impatient sigh. "You two really shouldn't underestimate them. The older ones as well as the redhead seem to be growing into their powers fast, especially with the training they've been getting. Their files alone should prove they won't be easy to take down."

Anju stared at Erena in silence for a moment. "What are you talking about?"

"If you'd read the files you'd know what I was talking about." Erena shook her head in irritation. Sometimes it seemed to her that Anju hardly ever paid attention, preferring to jump into action without thought instead. "Some of them have had training, others have lived through impossible situations. It…"

"Yeah, yeah. I read the files already. Actually…" Anju leaned forward slightly, her elbows resting on her knees. Reaching forward, she plucked a file from the table and began to thumb through it. "Fire survivor. No wonder she's with the pyro." She smiled deviantly and looked up to meet the curious stares of Erena and Tsubasa. "I have a plan…"

"A plan?" Tsubasa asked, intrigued by what Anju had in mind.

Anju nodded to herself, quite proud of the plan she'd come up with in a matter of minutes. "Divide and conquer."


	12. Chapter 12

**Warning for suggestions of/attempted sexual assault.**

Eli's brow furrowed in concern as she watched Nozomi getting dressed. It was obvious that she was going out, though Eli had no idea where she could be going so early in the morning. She had woken to find Nozomi trying to sneak out of bed though of course her girlfriend hadn't managed to be quiet about it.

"Where are you going?" She finally asked, startling Nozomi into spinning around, her hand flying to her chest.

Nozomi hadn't even noticed that Eli was awake, too intent on getting out of the apartment as quickly as she could. "Ah, j-just out! I'll be back soon, don't worry. I thought I would go shopping and restock. You girls are practically living here now so…"

Eli blushed, unable to keep herself from thinking about what it would be like to live with Nozomi permanently. Her cheeks flushed slightly but she quickly realized something and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "It's six in the morning, Nozomi."

Nozomi laughed nervously. "Better to get it done early then I can come home to you after, hmm?" She crawled onto the bed and straddled Eli's lap, her arms going around her neck. "You won't go home until I get back, right?"

Eli shook her head, distracted by Nozomi's closeness. "Of course not. I-I wasn't planning on going home tonight. With my mom…" She nervously bit her lip. Maybe she had outstayed her welcome. The other girls, aside from Kotori, hadn't been sleeping there. It would explain Nozomi's distance over the past few days. "I can stay with Honoka maybe…"

"No!" Nozomi's grip on Eli tightened just a bit at the suggestion. "I want you here with me, Elichi. That's why I want to get everything done early, so I can come back home and spend the rest of the week with you!"

Eli knew that Nozomi probably didn't mean it that way but the mention of her coming home to her had her heart speeding up a bit. One day she could mean that she was coming back to the home they shared. She felt her face heat up as her thoughts shifted to rings, commitment, a life together. "F-Fine. At least give me a kiss before you go."

Nozomi laughed gently and leaned in, brushing her lips gently against Eli's. "I think Elichi is acting spoiled." Deciding not tease further, she kissed Eli properly this time, pressing close to her. She smiled against soft lips when she felt arms circle her waist to hold her in place. Despite her best efforts, she melted into the kiss, getting lost in the movement of soft lips and the occasional brush of Eli's tongue.

She forgot about what she was supposed to be doing until she felt hands tugging her shirt up. She pulled back and laughed as she gently pushed Eli's hands away. "I just got dressed, Elichi. What are you doing taking my clothes off now?" She watched as Eli pouted. She couldn't resist the urge to lean in and kiss the pout away. "There's time for that later, okay? I'll be back soon."

Eli huffed and leaned back against the pillows behind her but she didn't keep Nozomi from leaving.

Nozomi left the room and tiptoed past Kotori who was sleeping in the living room. She slid her shoes on and left quickly, shutting the door behind her. As she did, she dug her phone from her pocket and looked down at the screen, her expression darkening.

"You're really trying to get yourself killed, aren't you, Senpai? Idiot…" She tucked her phone into her pocket and took off down the hallway.

—

"Let me help, Nico-chan!" Honoka whined, trying to reach past Nico to grab the ladle she was using to stir whatever she was making. Honoka wasn't sure what it was, but she knew that it smelled good. "It's only stirring."

"You'll find a way to screw it up." Nico scowled, her free hand on Honoka's shoulder to keep her at a safe distance.

Honoka looked offended, her eyes widening at Nico's assumption. "Eh?! I can cook fine, my family owns a sweet shop, remember?"

"So you can make chocolate, what does that have to do with making real food?!" Nico's patience was wearing thin. "Get the hell out of the kitchen before I throw you out, Honoka! I'm not kidding."

"EH?!"

Kotori and Umi, who were sitting close together at the table watched Honoka's antics with soft smiles on their faces. Both of them were glad that Honoka wasn't acting differently than usual.

It had been four days since that night at the Sonoda estate and they were all still staying with Nozomi in some way, at least they always seemed to end up there until they had to go home for the night. Umi, unable to go back home for obvious reasons, was staying with Honoka. Kotori wished she could do the same though now that she knew there was something going on between the two she supposed it would be a bit awkward. Staying with her mom though, now knowing what she had once been a part of, was difficult, so on a couple of occasions she'd fallen asleep at Nozomi's apartment. Those nights had come as a relief if she was honest. Staying with Nozomi was so much easier than going home and facing her mother. It was hard to look at her now, and the older woman was noticing that something was amiss with her daughter.

Caught up in her thoughts, Kotori didn't notice that Nico had successfully shooed Honoka out of the kitchen until the girl was standing right next to her. It wasn't Kotori Honoka was focused on though, it was Umi. She looped her arms carelessly around their best friend's neck, bending down slightly to do so.

"Umi-chan, tell Nico-chan to let me help." Honoka whined quietly, her face turned toward Umi's rapidly reddening ears. Unable to help herself, she brushed her lips against her girlfriend's cheek and grinned faintly at the heat beneath her lips.

"Honoka…" Umi grumbled in embarrassment though she didn't move to push Honoka away. She didn't want to, even if being so close to someone was shameless and embarrassing.

Kotori averted her eyes, finding it hard to watch them due to the jealousy bubbling up within her. The two were obviously much closer than they had been before, much closer than either of them were to her. She wasn't sure what to think, recalling what Future Honoka had said about the two of them being together in the future.

Hearing a gentle giggle from Umi, she chanced a look back at her best friends and found Honoka whispering something to Umi. It was surprising, to see Umi looking so content. It was a stark contrast to that morning.

"I'm going for a walk." She announced, standing up smoothly.

"What?" Honoka barely glanced up at Kotori. "Oh, sure. Be careful, Kotori-chan."

Kotori felt her chest tighten as Honoka looked away from her, her undivided attention turning back to Umi. She opened and closed her mouth helplessly, uncertain as to what to say. She hadn't wanted Honoka to go with her, but after what had happened she had at least expected her friend to offer.

"Kotori…" Umi watched in concern, noticing the tightness of Kotori's jaw and the slight shine to her eyes.

"I won't be long." Kotori turned hurriedly on her heel and made her way quickly from the room, in need of some air.

"Honoka!" Umi berated, reaching up to gently swat Honoka's arm when Kotori disappeared from view.

"Huh?!" Honoka flinched slightly in surprise. "What? What did I do?"

—

"I could've handled that guy." Future Honoka muttered as she gingerly held her side. She could feel blood seeping through her shirt. She groaned a little as she allowed Nozomi to keep her steady.

She watched Nozomi with concern as they made their way down the crisp white hall of the Mokuzai building. She turned her back slightly, cringing at all the guards she'd had to kill or severely injure to get to the elevators.

Once they made it safely into one she pulled herself away from Nozomi and carefully eased her hand away from the gash on her side. "Damn."

"Fucking idiot, are you crazy?! What would've happened if I actually didn't come?! " Nozomi growled as she turned her attention to the older woman. She let her eyes travel to the injury and grimaced at the sight of all of the blood. There was no doubt that it was deep.

"I suppose I would've died." Honoka said carelessly as she shifted her weight. She took out her phone with the blueprints and notes she'd managed to get her hands on and pushed the button for basement. "I could do with the peace and quiet if I'm honest."

Nozomi gritted her teeth together. She had known that Future Honoka was going to get herself into a dangerous situation as soon as she had seen those notes on her wall. "You may not care if you live or die but I do! I don't care what you say I'm going to keep you alive."

"You're cute when you're angry." Future Honoka teased, leaning heavily against the elevator doors. Her body felt suddenly heavy but she knew she had to press on. "Has my past self ever told you that? Probably a good thing if she hasn't seen you angry. We wouldn't…want her falling for someone else…"

"Shut up, I'm being serious!" Nozomi barked, irritated by Honoka's blasé attitude. Her cheeks flushed, both from anger and embarrassment. "You're going to die, don't you get that?"

"I think we've gathered that I don't care." The elevator chimed as they reached the basement floor and Honoka leaned away from the doors to keep from falling through them. "Come on, we've gotta be stealthy."

"What?!"

"Shhh!" Future Honoka grabbed Nozomi's hand and dragged her out of the elevator. "Get a lab coat, I'm sure you'll pass as being in your twenties."

"I'm seventeen!" Nozomi exclaimed in a whisper yell. "And you're bleeding all over the floor, how stealthy do you think we can be?!"

"Seventeen? Your boobs say otherwise." Future Honoka didn't even try to hide the fact that she was staring at Nozomi's chest.

"Senpai!" Nozomi covered herself, her cheeks flushed crimson. She was sure Honoka must be delirious from the pain she was feeling or something. Nevertheless she allowed Honoka to drag her into a storage closet and soon found herself dressed in a lab coat. Future Honoka threw one on too, to hide the fact that she was bleeding.

"Almost…" Future Honoke tugged Nozomi's hair ties from her hair and deposited them into her pocket before assessing the girl in front of her. "Much better. You look more mature like this. A braid suits you better but we don't really have time…"

"Senpai, focus!" Nozomi exclaimed sharply as Future Honoka trailed off, her gaze distant.

"Huh? Oh right, let's go." Honoka ducked out of the room with Nozomi hot on her heels and together the two of them started the walk down the hall.

Nozomi felt her heart hammering against her chest as she walked but glancing at Future Honoka she found the older woman seemed to be quite composed. She wondered if Honoka did this kind of thing a lot in her time. It didn't seem like the first time she'd done it.

"Maybe you should have looked for a first aid kit while we were in there." Nozomi pointed out, concern audible in her hushed voice as she noticed that Honoka was unsteady on her feet.

"Stop fussing, you're pissing me off."

Nozomi raised an eyebrow. "You're moody now? I think I preferred when you were hitting on me."

"Oh yeah?" Honoka's voice was almost flat, save for the twinge of amusement Nozomi could hear. "You like it when I hit on you? I'd do it more often but you know, Eli is my best friend in the future…oh, wait here."

"What?" Nozomi tried to grab Honoka's hand but she was already striding toward a woman a little way down the hall. Honoka tapped the woman on the shoulder, causing her to turn around and they exchanged a few words. Nozomi frowned and moved closer to hear.

"Ah…you caught me, I'm sort of new here. Today is my first day so I don't really know where I'm going and…" Honoka trailed off, laughing sheepishly and rubbed the back of her neck. "I thought you might be able to point me in the right direction, if you don't mind. You look like you know what you're doing around here."

Nozomi narrowed her eyes irritably while the woman looked unsure.

"I'm sorry, I'm bothering you!" Future Honoka sounded genuinely guilty. "I-I just couldn't help but notice you over here. You're just…wow, you're beautiful. And I figured 'this girl must have been sent to help me', you know? It's stupid, I know."

Nozomi rolled her eyes as the woman in front of Honoka flushed and began to stutter. What really caught her attention was the way Honoka dipped her hand into the woman's pocket, taking something from it. There was no hesitation in the swift movement, no sign of a shake in her fingers. It was practiced almost, like she'd done it a hundred times.

"W-Well it's down the hall and to the left then you just have to swipe in…" The woman said nervously, her voice quivering slightly. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't get your name…"

"I didn't give one." Honoka smiled cheekily and covered the name written on her lab coat swiftly, feigning that she was leaving her name a mystery rather than covering up the fact that the name on the lab coat wasn't hers. "Thank you, Nanami-san. I look forward to seeing you again. Maybe next time I'll introduce myself properly and take you out to dinner. To celebrate."

"C-Celebrate?"

"Celebrate meeting you of course." Honoka replied smoothly with a wink. Nozomi huffed in annoyance. "I'll be going then. I'll see you later. I hope."

"M-Me too."

Honoka turned on her heel and grinned at Nozomi.

"You look happy with yourself." Nozomi pointed out snarkily.

"Is Nozomi-chan jealous?" Honoka teased, the smile not dropping from her lips. "Relax, you're the only woman in a lab coat I have eyes for."

"Senpai, would you…" Nozomi resisted the urge to yell at Honoka and took a deep breath instead, trying to calm herself. "Stop hitting on me."

"But you just said you want me to hit on you?"

"I did not!" Nozomi exclaimed, maybe a bit louder than she had intended. "Besides, you flirt with everyone. It doesn't mean anything when you flirt with me and Elichi."

"So you want it to mean something when I flirt with you?" Honoka raised a teasing eyebrow as she continued on down the hallway with Nozomi, having noticed the woman wander away. "It does, honestly. I flirt with you two because you're special to me. I would never flirt with Maki-chan or Rin-chan like this. And before you ask, I tease Maki-chan sometimes but that's only because she's one of my best friends in the future. But nobody is Eli-senpai and Nozomi-chan. And…nobody is Kotori-chan especially."

"G-Geeze, you talk about us like you're in love with us or something…"

"Maybe I am." Honoka said seriously. She couldn't hold the neutral expression for long though and finally ended up laughing. "I'm just kidding. Come on, let's use this quickly."

Nozomi felt her cheeks flush crimson once again and she cursed under her breath. How was it that she was being out-teased, by Honoka of all people? She didn't notice Honoka use the key card she'd stolen on the door until she was being pulled into the room.

As soon as they stepped foot inside though, alarms started going off around them.

"Shit!" Honoka muttered, drawing Nozomi close to her. It seemed that the building was more secure than she'd thought. She hurriedly tugged Nozomi over to a computer, determined to get something from the mission. It couldn't just be a failure. "A PASSWORD? Really?!"

Nozomi glanced around anxiously as Honoka slammed her hands down onto the desk in front of them. She could hear footsteps in the hallway. "You need to get us out of here. You need to teleport us out. Honoka-chan!" She watched as Honoka started to type, obviously trying to get the password. "HONOKA! Please, we need to go. They're coming. If you stay here you'll die. I know you want the information but it's not worth your life! Please. If not for yourself, then for me."

Honoka watched as the screen in front of her eyes blurred, then she was on her knees on the floor. She heard her name being called then Nozomi was in front of her, her hands on her shoulders.

"I can't…I don't have the energy to teleport us both. Maybe….if I could transport you by yourself…" She had never tried it, and wasn't sure it would work. But she could try.

"No!" Nozomi exclaimed frantically. "No, we're not doing that. I don't want you to die, okay?! You can't just decide to stay here. You have to try. For me. I-I'll help…" She pressed her hands against Honoka's wound and focused intently, taking the pain away from her. It hit her suddenly and she gasped loudly. She didn't know how Honoka had managed to walk around when she was hurting so much.

She heard guards barge into the room, opening fire but a second later she was surrounded by warmth as Honoka wrapped her arms tightly around her. The telltale tugging sensation of teleportation followed and then she was outside, on her back. She realized suddenly, now that her mind wasn't clouded with pain, that Honoka had thrown herself on top of her when the shooting had started.

"Senpai?!" Nozomi's hands roamed over Honoka's body, expecting to find some kind of bullet wound. "Did they hit you? Were you shot?!"

Future Honoka shook her head. The pain in her side had returned, probably because Nozomi had been distracted, but she preferred it that way. It was her pain to keep. "You're worried about me, huh? You must really like me if you want to keep me alive this much."

"Idiot!" Nozomi's voice was suddenly thick with emotion, her arms going around Honoka tightly. "Idiot, idiot, idiot! Why are you such a damn idiot?"

Future Honoka gave a throaty chuckle, well aware of the reason behind Nozomi's sudden outburst. "Yeah…I love you too, Nozomi-chan."

"Idiot." Nozomi muttered again, shaking her head. "I told you to stop hitting on me. Come on, get up. I'm taking you home. Or to a hospital."

"To my hotel room." Honoka elected. Feeling Nozomi's grip loosen, she pushed herself to her feet. "No hospitals."

"Of course not. You're too stubborn for one." She quipped as she watched the older woman give her a goofy grin.

"Damn straight, little lady!"

—

Kotori leaned back against the wall behind her and took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. It was hard to watch her two best friends now that she had been pushed to the sidelines.

"Hey." Kotori looked up at the sound of the familiar voice, just in time to see Nozomi walking toward her, hands clasped behind her back. "What are you doing?"

Kotori straightened up slightly and tried to suppress the feeling of jealousy and sadness that filled her. She was glad when Nozomi didn't seem to notice. "Just getting some air. It was getting a bit loud inside."

"Oh." Nozomi flashed Kotori a smile and moved closer to her, leaning her shoulder against the wall. "Well you know how some of them can be."

"I suppose…" Kotori mumbled uncertainly, assuming that Nozomi was referring to Nico and Maki. It wasn't the two of them who'd driven her out though, seeing Umi and Honoka together had. She couldn't make sense of how lonely she felt when she watched the two of them together. They were so close now, closer than she felt she could be to either of them. She clenched her shirt in her hand over her chest, her eyes prickling. She was horrible, for envying Umi despite what was happening with her best friend.

"You look upset." Nozomi remarked, watching Kotori's expression change. She reached out, placing her hand on Kotori's arm. "What's wrong?"

Kotori shrugged and looked down at where Nozomi was gently rubbing her bare arm. "It's nothing. It's…" Her eyes darted left and right before flicking back up to Nozomi. "I should be happy for them both. They're my best friends and Umi-chan is going through something awful and she needs Honoka-chan. I know that. I do. But…what about me, Nozomi-chan? What's going to happen to me now that they're together?" Her bottom lip trembled slightly. She was being so selfish. "It's not supposed to be like this."

"Hmm?" Nozomi seemed to be listening intently, still keeping up the soothing movements of her fingers. "What do you mean?"

"I'm supposed to be with Honoka-chan in the future!" Kotori couldn't hold the frustrated exclamation back. She wasn't sure how this had happened. Was it because she had ignored her Honoka too much, focusing only on Future Honoka? "I love her too!"

A smile twitched at Nozomi's lips.

"She doesn't even see me." Kotori whispered, bowing her head slightly. Honoka had barely glanced at her earlier, but even then it had been like she was looking right through her. "Not anymore."

"Then she's an idiot." Nozomi said bluntly, reaching out to gently touch Kotori's face with her free hand. Puzzled eyes slowly lifted to focus on her own. "I see you. Anyone with half a brain would take notice of you. You're too pretty to just ignore."

Kotori's brow furrowed in confusion at Nozomi's intently whispered words. It almost felt like the purple haired girl was flirting with her. It was unthinkable. Everyone knew that Nozomi only had eyes for Eli.

Uncomfortable, Kotori cleared her throat. "Where have you been? You've been gone for a while. Eli-chan was waiting for you earlier."

"Let's not talk about Elichi right now." Nozomi said with a soft chuckle at Kotori's attempt to change the subject. "I only want to talk about you."

Kotori only grew more confused by Nozomi's brushing off of Eli. "I-I uh…we should probably get back inside. It's getting chilly out here."

Kotori watched Nozomi pout, but after a moment the older girl grabbed her hand and began to guide her back to her apartment. Kotori felt a cool shiver go down her spine, but it wasn't one she usually got when she was near Honoka or her friend's Future self. She felt uncomfortable. Something wasn't right, but she couldn't pinpoint what. At times like these she wished she possessed Maki's telepathy. "Um, Nozomi-chan, I don't need you to treat me like a child. I know where your apartment is."

Nozomi didn't say a word as she let go of Kotori's hand. Kotori positioned herself in front of the senior and made her way up the steps. She glanced at Nozomi out of the corner of her eye, watching as she looked around in interest. After a moment, she cleared her throat, desperate to break the silence. "S-So how was your walk?"

Usually Nozomi was the easiest of the girls to talk to, but now she didn't know what to say.

"It was pleasant. Though it could've been nicer if I'd had company." Nozomi drawled, shooting Kotori a suggestive look. She patted herself down as they stopped in front of the door. "Ah, I forgot my key…"

"I left it open! Don't worry. The others are in there as well so even if anyone tried to get in they would have to fight…" Kotori said with a force smile. She let her gaze drop to the floor before pushing the door open and stepping into the small entrance hall, Nozomi close behind. Kotori didn't have time to think before she felt someone push her against the door.

"Ahh, what the..?" Kotori began but was cut off by a pair of lips pressing against her own. Her eyes widened in alarm. For Nozomi, someone she had always seen as a somewhat parental figure to be touching her in such a way was shocking. So shocking that she froze in place, unable to even push her away.

 _"Stop! Stop, STOP! "_

Kotori finally came to her senses and pressed her hands to Nozomi's shoulders. She hurriedly pushed the slightly taller girl off of her. "Stop! What are you doing!?"

She looked up and caught sight of cold emerald eyes, so different from the usual warm gaze she was used to seeing from Nozomi.

"Why? You're obviously lonely. I could feel it with my ability, Kotori-chan." Nozomi smirked before she leaned in again, her lips finding Kotori's once more. She felt hands move to her shoulders, trying to push her away again but easily grabbed them, pinning them to the door above Kotori's head. She pressed closer still, pushing her torso flush against Kotori's and in turn pushing the ashen haired girl harder against the door.

Kotori whimpered against Nozomi's lips and tried to move her head back only to find that she was stopped by the door she was being pressed against. She couldn't move away to break her lips away from Nozomi's. Every time she tried to struggle, Nozomi's grip on her wrists somehow tightened further, causing her to wince.

Nozomi, growing tired of Kotori trying to pull away, reached down with one hand and gripped Kotori's chin to keep her in place. She took the younger girl's lower lip between her own and sucked for a moment before biting down hard. The taste of blood was satisfying.

Kotori gasped and Nozomi took the opportunity to kiss her deeper this time, her tongue slipping past soft lips. She chuckled under her breath at the startled sound Kotori made.

Panicked, Kotori accidentally activated her invisibility. She tried to flex her fingers but they were growing numb because of the tightness of Nozomi's grip. She struggled harder, her eyes burning with tears that slowly slipped down her cheeks. She had never been kissed like this, had never kissed anyone but Future Honoka in fact and that was so much different. Even the second time they had kissed, Honoka had been desperate and a little bit forceful but she'd been gentle too. Nozomi was anything but gentle.

Having heard the door open and close a few minutes ago, Eli strode into the small entranceway, intending to greet whoever had returned - as Nozomi's girlfriend, she figured it was her responsibility to do so when Nozomi wasn't there to do it herself. She stopped short, her heart seizing as she watched Kotori flicker between visibility and invisibility.

"W-What the hell is going on!?"

Kotori turned her head, finally managing to tear her lips from Nozomi's thanks to the third year's distraction. Her eyes met steel blue. "E-Eli-chan…"

"N-Nozomi. Kotori." Eli whispered, noticing the flush on Kotori's face. Having seen their position before, it wasn't hard to put two and two together. She didn't notice Maki run in with Nico behind her, the former having heard Kotori's thoughts from a moment ago.

Maki's gaze found Kotori, noticing how shaken she looked. Quickly, she went to catch her as she slumped down against the door. Kotori's thoughts were so loud and frantic that she couldn't hear anything else, nor could she even attempt to block them out. Arms went around her neck tightly as Kotori pressed close to her. Maki was perplexed by the way Kotori trembled against her, tears soaking her neck. "What the hell…"

"Kotori-chan and I were just having some fun." Nozomi said, oblivious to the tears that clouded Eli's eyes. It seemed that the blonde couldn't even speak. "Isn't that right, Kotori-chan?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Maki's head was truly starting to ache, but that didn't keep her from berating Nozomi. She lifted her arms, protectively wrapping them around the girl clinging to her. "She didn't want that, you…you forced it on her!" She glared at the senior, bearing her teeth as she drew Kotori closer to her body.

"N-Nozomi…" Eli could barely get her words out as she stared at her girlfriend. She couldn't comprehend the reasoning behind Nozomi's actions though what Maki has said struck a chord with her. She couldn't imagine Nozomi ever forcing herself on anyone.

Honoka and Umi walked into the room, their attention caught by the commotion. Inevitably their gazes found Kotori, both of them stopping short in shock at the sight of how upset their friend was.

"Kotori?" Umi glanced questioningly between the group of girls for some kind of explanation as to what was going on. She wasn't offered one but Kotori did break away from Maki and hurry over to them, intentionally keeping her distance from Nozomi as she did so. She ducked behind the two of them, pressing close to Honoka's back. The hand that Umi lay upon her shoulder was more reassuring than words could ever be.

"It's not true, is it?" Eli couldn't help but ask, desperate for Nozomi to say something to defend herself in some way. "Y-You wouldn't…"

Nozomi huffed out a sigh at Eli's attempts to speak. "Wouldn't what, Elichi? Want to kiss anyone but you? You're so full of yourself, you know that? My life doesn't revolve around you!"

Eli wasn't sure what to say to that. Nozomi had never snapped at her in that way before. She swallowed thickly. "Is this because you're angry with me? You want to get back at me for kissing Hono…the future version of Honoka? I thought you were fine with that!"

"What?" Honoka's eyes widened in surprise as did Umi's. Even Kotori, who was still shaken by her encounter with Nozomi looked stunned.

Surprise briefly flitted across Nozomi's face before she schooled her features back to the emotionless look from a moment ago. "You think I would have told you if I was bothered by it? God, you really are selfish. All you care about is if you think you have a reason to feel guilty about what you did. You don't care about how I would feel at all, do you?"

"W-What?" Eli shook her head vehemently, her stomach sinking at Nozomi's words. "No, that's not true! Of course I care about how you feel, Nozomi. What are you saying? I love you!"

"Well I don't love you." Nozomi's blunt retort had Eli stumbling back slightly, her features slowly crumbling. "I don't think I ever did, really. I wanted to. More than anything I wanted to think that you could be what I need, but you're not. You were just something I used to try to fill a hole in my life. First a friend, then a lover…but I don't love you in that way."

"Y-You don't mean that. You can't mean that!" Eli couldn't see Nozomi through her tears. She couldn't think, she could barely even breathe. "You do love me, you've told me. You've told me hundreds of times that you love me. You wouldn't just lie!"

Nozomi shrugged her shoulders, unfazed by Eli's tears. "I was in denial, I wasn't lying. It just took me a while to figure out what I want. And what I don't. If it makes you feel any better, you were decent in bed. But that's the only reason I've stayed with you for so long, and even that's getting boring now."

Eli clapped her hand over her mouth, a startled sob escaping her before she could stop it. Her knees buckled and she felt herself begin to stumble before someone caught her quickly, keeping her on her feet.

Nico stumbled slightly herself under Eli's weight but managed to stay on her feet. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" She exclaimed furiously, glaring over at Nozomi. She was all for honesty but everything Nozomi had said to Eli was taking it too far. She couldn't believe Nozomi even felt that way about the blonde. Everyone who watched the two of them together could see that the two adored each other. The look on Nozomi's face now showed no sign of that though. The look on her face was that of indifference, something Nico had never seen Nozomi direct toward Eli. "Why are you saying all of that crap to her?"

"I'm just telling the truth, Nico-chan. What's wrong with that?" Nozomi asked, turning her gaze toward Nico. "What else am I supposed to do? Just keep leading her on like I have been?"

"You're LYING!" Nico's voice rose as she slowly let go of Eli and took a step toward Nozomi, her hands curled into fists at her sides. "Anyone who knows you knows that you love Eli. What the hell are you doing? Pushing her away because you're scared of what might happen in the future? Or you're hurt because of what she did with Honoka?"

"Honoka-chan can have her, I'm not interested." Nozomi cast a look toward Eli. The blonde was clearly beside herself, her hands covering her face. "You were right about what you said back when we got together, you know?" She waited a moment until teary eyes slowly lifted to meet her own. "You are too boring for me."

"Nozomi-chan!" Honoka made to take a step forward but she was stopped short by both Umi and Kotori grabbing her and pulling her back to them. She cast a look at them, finding that they both looked shaken by Nozomi's rant. "But…"

She couldn't just stand by and do nothing while Nozomi was speaking to Eli in such a sickening way.

Umi gave a shake of her head, her lips set into a grim line. Between the way Nozomi was behaving and the way Nico looked there was no way she was going to let Honoka get between them.

Nico let out a low growl and surged forward, grabbing the lapels of Nozomi's jacket. She was sure that usually she wouldn't be strong enough to move the older girl but her anger fueled her and somehow they ended up stumbling back against the wall.

"You're going to take that back right now." Nico said in a low, angry voice. Behind her she could still hear Eli's muffled cries. "Look at what you're fucking doing to her. Is that really something you want to do to the person you love?!"

Nozomi's expression didn't change. "I don't love…"

"SHUT UP!" Nico punched the wall next to Nozomi's head, causing her to cringe slightly. "Don't say that again, Nozomi. I'm warning you. It's bullshit."

Maki tensed as Nico's fist came away from the wall bloody. The passive look on the third year's face let her know she hadn't felt it though. Her stomach twisted with anxiety at the thought. She hadn't approved of Nico taking the pills she'd quickly become addicted to but she knew that they were one of the only things that allowed her to feel something.

Nervousness flitted across Nozomi's face. Nico had quite the temper, and it didn't take a lot for her to snap. She opened her mouth to speak but she was interrupted by another voice.

"L-Let her go, Nico." Eli's voice trembled with emotion but it was much closer than before.

Nico looked up in surprise as a hand closed around her wrist. She found herself staring into watery blue eyes and frowned. "Why should I? Give me one reason I shouldn't punch her right now after what she said to you!"

"Because I can't let you." Eli whispered, her shoulders slumped. "You know I can't. Please, Nico. I know you're only trying to help me but you'll only be hurting me if you hurt her. Just let her go."

With an irritated growl, Nico wrenched her hand away from Nozomi's collar and stalked away from her, holding her hand which was rapidly regenerating her broken skin together.

"In case I wasn't clear, we're done." Nozomi said, her voice quiet and restrained as she looked at Eli. The blonde was looking anywhere but at her, clearly trembling and didn't offer an answer.

Silence followed the statement and Maki took a moment to glance at the others. Nico was seething and Umi and Honoka looked too surprised to do anything but her gaze paused when it reached Kotori. The ashen haired girl was rubbing her wrists. What caught Maki's attention was the blood streaking a line down to her chin from her lip. Like she had bitten down, though Maki knew that she wouldn't have bitten hard enough to draw so much blood.

She stepped closer until she caught sight of the reddening marks on Kotori's wrist. "Kotori, what…?" She watched as Kotori ashamedly hid her wrists from sight, though not before Umi too had caught sight of them.

Umi gripped Kotori's hands, keeping her from hiding them and stared at the marks - no, the fingerprints, on her wrists in shock. "K-Kotori…"

Honoka, who had been gaping at the marks suddenly swung around to face Nozomi. "Y-You did this to her?!" She couldn't believe it, though she wasn't thinking past the anger that was suddenly pounding through her veins. She felt angry tears blur her vision, unwanted images of Kotori being forced into things filling her mind. "H-How could…?" Her jaw clenched and she closed her eyes, focusing her power.

"Honoka-chan, no!" Kotori exclaimed, throwing herself forward. She wrapped her arms around Honoka tightly from behind though she knew it wouldn't do much good if Honoka chose to teleport like she obviously wanted to. "I don't want you to get hurt!"

"But she…" Honoka trembled, both with anger and fear of what was happening. The fact that it was Nozomi, of all people who'd hurt Kotori just made it worse. "I-I don't…"

Kotori felt Honoka's hands come up, gripping her own and allowed herself to relax, taking it to mean that her friend wasn't going anywhere. She noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and flinched. She relaxed when Umi moved in front of her. Concerned amber eyes met her own and gentle fingers wiped the blood from her mouth and chin.

The tender touch was both reassuring and grounding, yet relaxing had her thinking back to just a few minutes ago and her eyes flooded with tears.

"Kotori, I'm going to have to look at your wrists." Maki said in a stern but gentle voice as she stepped closer and reached out toward her embracing seniors.

Umi noticed Maki approaching first and quickly jerked away, not wanting to risk touching her. She crossed her arms in front of her chest when Maki glanced at her in concern. She cleared her throat and focused her gaze on Eli, trying to play the sudden movement off.

Maki looked back to Kotori, reaching out to gently grip her wrist. "Come on, Kotori." She gave a gentle tug but Kotori shook her head and buried her face into Honoka's shoulder. She sighed heavily, glancing to Umi for help. Unfortunately Umi seemed to be looking anywhere but at her.

With a determined pout, Maki tapped Kotori's shoulder. When the older girl finally seemed to make eye contact she gave her a small sad smile and whispered. "Please come with me. I want to help you…" She felt her cheeks turning red and glanced down at her feet. "…K-Koto-nee, just like you helped me when I was younger."

Kotori, who had been wearing a determined, if somewhat teary look, softened at the use of the old nickname. Hesitantly, she let go of Honoka and took Maki's outstretched hand. "O-Okay…"

"I'll be going then." Nozomi announced, brushing herself off. "You can all get out of my apartment before I get back. Though…you can stay if you want to, Kotori-chan. We can continue where we left off."

"Like hell she will!" Maki's voice rose in anger. "Don't ever touch her again. Stay the hell away from her or I'll hurt you!"

Nozomi scoffed and with one last glance at Eli, she left the apartment, leaving the blonde sniffling softly in her wake.

Maki hesitated for a moment but when she saw Nico make her way over to Eli, she turned her attention back to Kotori. "Come on." She murmured, tugging on her hand. She led her into the bathroom, closing the door behind her and guided Kotori to sit on the edge of the bathtub.

Kotori turned her gaze to her bruised wrists as Maki pattered around the bathroom, gathering some things to treat her injuries with.

"There's not much here I can work with." Maki said apologetically as she returned to Kotori's side with a damp towel. She knelt down in front of her but paused as she lifted the towel. "Are you okay?"

Kotori gave a shaky nod. "Nozomi-chan…" She shuddered slightly, both at the name and the memory of Nozomi's cold stare. "She's never looked at me like that before."

Maki frowned as she lifted the towel to dab at the bite mark on Kotori's lip. Nozomi had done a lot of things she had never done before. She'd never used force before, she had never spoken to Eli that way before. She'd certainly never claimed that she didn't love Eli.

Kotori was silent as Maki wiped away the remainder of the blood from her lips. Finally, when it seemed to be done she spoke up softly. "You called me Koto-nee earlier. L-like you used to. Maki-chan…can you say it again?"

Maki's gaze slid away, her cheeks flaming. "Koto-nee." Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Kotori smiling to herself. "This is embarrassing, Kotori."

Kotori shook her head in amusement. "You used to call me that all of the time when we were younger. Remember when you were six and you wanted to show me your progress with the piano? You wouldn't stop saying it until I went along with you."

"K-Koto-nee, you're being unfair!" Maki cringed as the childhood nickname for her friend passed her lips again. "Crap!"

Kotori lifted a hand to her mouth, though that didn't stop a gentle giggle from escaping. "Maki-chan is so cute."

Maki ducked her head in embarrassment. "I-I am not! Nico-chan is cuter…"

"Does Maki-chan have a crush?" Kotori teased gently, the heaviness that had settled in her chest starting to lighten. "Tell me all about it!"

"NO!" Maki bowed her head, her red hair concealing her equally red face. She listened to Kotori giggle again, a small smile tugging at her lips. It was almost worth the embarrassment to make her friend feel better. Silence soon settled between them and the next time Maki looked up the smile that had lingered briefly on Kotori's face was gone again.

"It's been a long time since we talked properly, huh Maki-chan?" Kotori asked softly, her gaze distant, as if she was remembering something from quite a long time ago. "I missed you a lot…when you stopped being friends with me."

Maki shifted uncomfortably. "I-I didn't, I…I just didn't want to embarrass you in front of your new friends. I didn't think you'd want someone younger than you following you around. And I guess I was maybe a bit jealous too. That you suddenly had new friends and you were leaving me behind."

Kotori's eyes widened in surprise at Maki's honesty. "You could never embarrass me! I was always talking about you when I was with Honoka-chan and Umi-chan. I wanted them to meet you because…Maki-chan was my most important person. I-I thought you were embarrassed by me. You changed so much, you got so cool and I just stayed the same."

Maki sighed and shifted position to sit with her back against the bathtub near Kotori's legs. "I suppose we both had it wrong. It wasn't the only reason anyway. My power was growing and I had to push everyone away. Even you…you know?" She looked up at Kotori, in search of understanding.

Kotori nodded somberly. "We'll be better friends now, right Maki-chan? Like before? Earlier…" Her voice quivered slightly at the memories of what had happened with Nozomi earlier. "It reminded me of when we were younger. I didn't know you would…"

"Of course I would." Maki interrupted sharply, irritation returning to her features. "And I will again if she comes near you."

Kotori bit her lip, a troubled expression on her face. "But it's Nozomi-chan."

"And you're Kotori. What's your point?" Maki tilted her head back a little bit so she could see Kotori, her bright hair a stark contrast to the pearly white bathtub it rested against. "None of us are going to let her hurt you again."

Kotori wasn't all that happy with the answer. She didn't want it to be that way, but she was sure of the fact that she didn't want to be around Nozomi. "Thank you, Maki-chan."

Maki nodded, instantly regretting the decision. "My head hurts, Koto-nee." She muttered, just barely loud enough for Kotori to hear. Almost unwittingly, she leaned her head to the right, resting it against Kotori's thigh. The whispered apology, combined with the gentle hand that came to rest upon her head had her lips turning up slightly despite her discomfort.

The corners of Kotori's lips twitched up into a small smile. Despite everything that happened she couldn't help but feel glad that her past friendship with Maki had finally seemed to be rekindled.

—

Nozomi strode casually down the hallway, whistling to herself as she walked away from the apartment.

"You can come out now, you know." She said, ducking into the stairwell just to be safe. She looked over the edge of the railing to make sure nobody was there. "Nobody's around."

The shadow behind Nozomi shifted, lifting up from the ground then materialized into a tall, fit young woman. The UTX uniform she was wearing suited her serious demeanour perfectly. She stretched slightly before turning sharp eyes toward Nozomi.

"You sure know how to make things dramatic, huh?"

"All part of my brilliant plan." Nozomi smirked back. "Let's just hope Tsubasa can do her part as flawlessly as I did mine."

Erena irritably narrowed her eyes. "You call what you did flawless? You assaulted the poor girl! I thought you were just going to manipulate her?!"

"As I said, divide and conquer. You've read Tojo's file. She's the glue that holds the group together. There's nothing more important to her than her friends and her…'Elichi'. Imagine how it's going to destroy her to know that she broke Ayase's heart. That her precious friends are either terrified of her or hate her."

Erena shifted, uncomfortable with the entire situation. "I still think you went too far, Anju."

Nozomi laughed loudly. Her features shifted and suddenly the laughter sounded different. Much harsher. "Don't question my tactics, Erena. You're only an agent compared to me and Tsubasa. You're only in it to be with her anyway. I was trained, I know exactly what I'm doing while you have no idea. You're not to share your useless opinions with me again. Is that clear?"

Erena knew better than to argue. She swallowed thickly and gave a shaky nod.

Anju leaned back against the railings and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She had almost been hoping for some kind of argument but she had gotten nothing of the sort. It was typical. Erena was so spineless, it was laughable. "You're always such a downer. Just let me have my fun!"

Erena closed her eyes briefly, trying not to let irritation overwhelm her. "Let's just get back. You've done enough damage."

Anju almost argued, wanting to stick around and see exactly how much damage she had done but even she knew that was a bad idea. Instead she nodded and started on her way down the stairs. "My back is killing me, I don't know how Tojo lugs those boobs of hers around all day."

Erena gritted her teeth together as Anju laughed at her own joke. Sometimes she couldn't help but really hate the other girl.

—

Nozomi rubbed her shoulder as she made her way along the hallway to her apartment. Her 'mission' with Honoka had left her feeling tired and sore and all she wanted to do was slip into bed next to her girlfriend and go to sleep. Turning the corner, she paused at the sight of the group gathered in front of her apartment door. Kotori, Honoka, Umi and Maki were standing together, Kotori between Maki and Honoka while Umi was holding onto Honoka's hand. Nico was standing near Eli, her hand resting lightly on her lower back.

The first thing Nozomi really noticed besides their presence was the fact that Eli seemed to be upset about something. She could feel it from where she stood, even though she'd been trying to block everyone out. She could never block Eli out completely. As she stepped closer, the ache in her chest only intensified.

Hearing footsteps, Kotori looked up. At the sight of Nozomi, she flinched, positioning herself slightly behind Honoka.

Maki followed Kotori's gaze to Nozomi and narrowed her eyes. "We're just leaving."

Nozomi was surprised by the cold tone of Maki's voice as well as Kotori flinching away from her. It was an odd reaction. It wasn't as though Kotori had any reason to fear her. "What? Where are you going?"

Nico turned to scowl at Nozomi. "I'm not in the mood for your fucking mind games, Nozomi. And don't think I'm going to let you screw around with Eli's feelings or touch Kotori again either!"

"Kotori-chan? What are you talking about? What did I…?" Nozomi glanced helplessly at Eli, finding the girl was staring at the floor. "Elichi…"

"HEY!" Nico marched right up to Nozomi, her expression livid. "Don't talk to her. Don't even look at her."

For a moment, Nozomi could only blink at Nico, too stunned to speak. "N-Nicocchi…" Her gaze shifted around in search of answers and she flinched at the angry stares of her friends. Noticing Kotori rubbing her wrists she looked a bit closer, finding bruises circling them. "What happened?!"

She pushed Nico to the side and skirted around her, intending to check the bruises on Kotori's wrists. She was surprised when Maki visibly tensed up but what surprised her more was Eli moving quickly, putting herself between her and Kotori. "Elichi?"

"I won't let you touch her, Nozomi." Eli had somehow managed to compose herself before she had left the apartment but now, with Nozomi standing in front of her, she felt tears pricking at her eyes again. She clenched her jaw but that did nothing to keep her eyes from dampening. "Kotori is my friend. I don't care what you feel for her o-or how much you hate me, I won't let anything…"

Nozomi felt her stomach churn at the idea of 'hating' Eli. There wasn't anything about her that she hated. "Hate you?" She lifted a hand, intending to brush away a tear that was about to fall. As she did, she watched a pained expression cross Eli's face. "How could I ever hate you? You're my Elichi. I love you, you…"

Honoka growled low in her throat and reached out with her free hand, gripping Eli's wrist. She pulled her back to her side and stared Nozomi down. "Stay away from us. All of us. You've crossed a line, Nozomi. I'm not going to risk you hurting Kotori-chan again…and you're taking advantage of Eli-senpai. I-I won't allow it!"

"Stay away?" Nozomi echoed shakily, her heart pounding against her chest. Eli wasn't looking at her again but she supposed it was better than her looking at her the same way Honoka was. "But you're my friends. Elichi is my girlfriend."

"We're not. And Eli-senpai isn't your girlfriend anymore. You made that clear earlier with what you said." Deep down Honoka knew that she was only saying these things because she wanted to hurt Nozomi, the same way the third year had hurt Eli and to get back at her for hurting Kotori too, but she couldn't stop herself. "As the leader of μ's…I'm revoking your membership."

"Agreed." Nico's voice sounded sharply, though Nozomi only just barely heard it. "You're out."

Nozomi's chest tightened again but this time it wasn't Eli's pain she was feeling, it was her own. There was nothing more important to her than her friends and μ's. "Wh…Wha…?" She hadn't realized that her eyes had flooded with tears until she felt them slip free, spilling down her cheeks. "B-But…"

The group walked past her, Kotori being careful to keep her distance. Honoka on the other hand, purposely shouldered past, causing her to almost lose her footing. The subtle ache in her shoulder was enough to stub out the hope that this was all just a terrible nightmare. It was real, though Nozomi couldn't make sense of any of it. She'd lost Eli. She'd lost everyone.


	13. Chapter 13

Nozomi's lung burned, her thoughts racing in time to the pumping of her feet against concrete. She didn't know what was happening, all she could really understand was that in the space of a few minutes she had lost all of her friends. She'd lost Eli.

 _"Kotori is my friend. I don't care what you feel for her o-or how much you hate me."_

She wasn't sure what that even meant. Surely she could never have given any indication that she hated Eli, of all people. The opposite was true. All of her friends had to know that. She was in love with Eli, she had been for a long time now.

 _"As the leader of μ's…I'm revoking your membership."_

Tears blurred her vision but she didn't slow down for a second, not even when her side began to hurt from all of the running she was doing. She didn't slow down in the reception of the hotel, nor did she even wait for the elevator. Afraid that once she stopped she wouldn't be able to get up again, she ran up the stairs, not stopping until she reached Future Honoka's hotel room. She stumbled against the door, beating the wood with the side of her fist.

"Senpai! Senpai!"

There was a beat of silence before Future Honoka responded. "Ow, hold on! Damn chair."

The door opened a moment later and Nozomi almost fell into the room. She would have, had it not been for Future Honoka reaching out to catch her.

"Senpai…"

"Nozomi?!" Future Honoka exclaimed in shock. She could hardly believe the state of her friend. Tearstains streaked down Nozomi's cheeks, both new and older looking marks. If that hadn't been indication enough that she'd been crying for a while, her eyes were red rimmed and bloodshot. "What happened?!"

"E-Elichi…H-Honoka-ch…" Nozomi was sobbing too hard to get her words out and Honoka worried that she was going to hyperventilate. She gritted her teeth together and supporting Nozomi's weight, dragged her into the hotel room. She nudged the door shut with her foot before she bent down. She painstakingly scooped up the exhausted girl and carried her to her bed, sitting her down on it. Taking a step back she grabbed a chair so she could sit nearby.

"Now tell me. What happened?" Future Honoka tried to keep her voice steady but it shook audibly. "Is it Eli? Did something happen to her or….Hanayo? Rin?"

She could only imagine Nozomi reacting in such a way if something bad had happened to Eli or one of the youngest members.

"T-They all hate me." Nozomi replied, her tears still as thick as before. "H-Honoka-chan kicked me out of μ's…"

"What?!" Future Honoka sat bolt upright in shock, sending shockwaves of pain through her stomach. She grimaced, her hand going to the bandage she had hastily applied. She had just finished doing it when Nozomi had started banging on the door and had barely had time to pull on the button down white shirt she was wearing before opening the door. She had left it unbuttoned, thankfully, so as not to put too much pressure on her wound. "W-Why would…?"

"Elichi said that I hate her a-and they said that I hurt Kotori-chan b-but I swear I didn't! I was with you, Honoka! I would never do anything to hurt any of them. I love all of those girls, y-you have to believe me. I didn't hurt anyone!" Nozomi seemed to fold in on herself, bent at the waist as she sobbed into her hands.

Honoka stared at Nozomi for a moment, overwhelmed by the sight of the younger girl's grief. She knew, from her Nozomi that Eli and the other girls meant everything to her. They were her family. She leaned forward, ignoring the way her side ached in protest and drew Nozomi into her arms. "I believe you."

Nozomi would never do anything to hurt anyone from μ's. If there was one thing Future Honoka knew, it was that. She was silent for a few minutes until something occurred to her. "A-Rise. It has to be Anj…" She stuttered over the name, unable to say it aloud. All it did was bring back memories of how her Nozomi had been killed. In the cruelest way possible. She leaned back and cupped Nozomi's face in her hands. "Nozomi, listen to me. I don't know for sure but…I-I think it's A-Rise. They have a member who… can s-shapeshift. She can make herself look like anyone she wants to. I think she might have…"

Nozomi, having quietened down, blinked up at Honoka through teary eyes. "W-Why…Why would they come after me? W-Why like this?"

Honoka clenched her jaw. She knew A-Rise. She knew just how sadistic they could be when they wanted to be. "To break μ's from the inside out. It's not safe for any of you now that CORPS has been discovered. They'll do anything to take you away and lock you up."

Nozomi was the glue of the group. Without her, they would be divided and defenseless. Easy prey for A-Rise and anyone else.

Nozomi sniffled and reached up to wipe her nose with her sleeve. She blinked as she looked up at Honoka. The young woman looked different than she usually did. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, something Nozomi had never seen from her before. "Y-You look different."

Honoka reached up, touching the ponytail at the back of her head. "It was in the way, I needed it up so I could treat my wound."

"You almost look like Elichi…with your hair like that." Nozomi said quietly. Her lower lip trembled as she remembered how Eli had looked at her earlier. With betrayal and hurt in her eyes. "W-What am I going to do, Senpai?"

"We'll figure something out." Future Honoka gently wiped away Nozomi's tears. "But right now you should clean up and get some sleep. We'll talk more about this tomorrow." She watched as Nozomi nodded and stood up but before the younger girl could go very far, Honoka realized something. "Wait! You said you hurt Kotori-chan?"

Nozomi stopped where she was. "I-I didn't do it! I told you already, I was with you!"

Future Honoka stood up quickly and moved in front of Nozomi gripping her arms. "I know. I know it wasn't you, but…is Kotori-chan okay? How hurt is she? Is she…?" She trailed off, shuddering at the thought. It was impossible for something that bad to have happened. She would have felt it. Her past would have changed.

"H-Her wrists were bruised, like…someone had been holding onto them." Nozomi felt sickened by the idea of what her friends thought she had done to Kotori. It was obvious what had happened. "And her lip was bleeding, I think. The others wouldn't let me near her and she looked like she was scared of me. She was trembling, afraid of me t-touching her…"

"I-I'm going to kill that shapeshifter." Honoka growled as she let go of Nozomi. She grabbed her jacket from the bed. She started toward the door only to be stopped by a hand gripping her arm.

"D-Don't even think about confronting whoever did this tonight! You're still injured from earlier. " Nozomi's voice trembled. She bit her lip as she tried to stop crying. It was only half true that she didn't want Future Honoka to get hurt. The selfish part of her on the other hand wanted her to stay so that she wouldn't be alone. "We need a plan. You can try to talk to Kotori-chan tomorrow. Just p-please don't go…I don't want to be alone. "

Future Honoka took a deep breath, barely able to keep from wrenching free of Nozomi's grip. Her mind was full of images of Kotori being hurt. It just had to be Anju, it just had to be that one particular member that touched her. She clenched her fists and lowered her head. "Alright, even though you and I both know I really don't give a shit about my life. I'll wait."

Nozomi slowly let go of Honoka's arm. "I'm going to clean up like you said. Just…please be here when I get back." She waited for a nod before she turned and walked into the bathroom.

Future Honoka slowly peeled off her jacket, allowing it to drop to the ground. She slipped into bed after tugging her pants off and stared at her phone on the bedside table. She needed to talk to Kotori, needed to make sure she was alright but she couldn't. A phone call wasn't enough.

A few minutes later she heard the bathroom door open followed by the soft patter of Nozomi's footsteps coming toward her. The bed dipped and then she felt Nozomi shuffle close to her, obviously seeking comfort. She couldn't deny her that and quickly turned, drawing the younger girl into her arms.

—

Umi whimpered as she drew her knees close to her chest. She had woken up that morning to an ache in her head, similar to the one she'd felt in the bathroom the previous week. Since then there had been many similar incidents but she always managed to stop them by hurrying to Honoka or Kotori's side. She hadn't had to look over at the other side of the bed to know that Honoka wasn't there.

She stared down at the phone she was loosely holding in her hand, her vision slightly blurred with tears. She was afraid. She didn't know how many memories would be gone by the time Honoka got back to her. She'd always managed to stop it in time before but that was because she'd always had Kotori and Honoka with her. Now Kotori wasn't staying there and Honoka had seemingly left.

"Stop it…" She whispered, burying her face in her knees. She wasn't sure how much more she could take, how many more memories she would have to feel being torn away. "Stop it, stop it, stop it…"

"Umi?"

Umi hadn't heard the door open, too busy chanting under her breath. She looked up sharply, hoping to find Honoka returning. The sight that greeted her was unwelcome. "W-What are you doing here?"

Maki's brow furrowed in concern at the sight of tears in Umi's eyes. "Honoka's visiting Kotori so I figured you might be alone and…" It hadn't escaped her notice that Umi hated to be alone now. She always seemed to be clinging to either Honoka or Kotori, mostly the former. It wasn't like her. "What's going on with you, Umi? What's happening?"

"Nothing, I'm fine." Umi wiped away her tears with shaky fingers despite Maki having already seen them. "Do you know when Honoka is going to be coming back? Did she say anything?"

"I think she'll be a while." Maki said slowly as she edged closer to the bed. When she had left, Kotori and Honoka had seemed to be lost in conversation with one another. "Honoka seemed worried about her."

"Right." Umi's gaze flitted nervously around the room so she didn't notice Maki slowly approaching. She could only hope that Honoka would come back before she lost any more of her memories. "Should she be worried?"

Maki shook her head in response though she couldn't say that she wasn't worried too. "I'm looking after Kotori. She's still jumpy but I think she's going to be fine. I won't let anything else happen to her."

The conviction in Maki's tone had Umi looking toward her again but she flinched when she noticed just how close Maki had gotten to the bed. "Wait…" She pressed herself back, despite already leaning against the back of the bed. "Don't come any closer."

Maki stopped dead in her tracks, her brow furrowing in confusion. There was panic on Umi's face. Not just panic but pure, unadulterated fear. Of her. "I know there's something wrong with you, Umi. Please. I just want to help you. Why won't you let me?"

Umi shook her head in response and pressed her face into her knees again. "I don't need your help. And I don't want someone else forcing themselves into my head so just…leave me alone, Maki."

"I wouldn't force you." The accusation hurt though Maki tried not to let it show. She'd seen firsthand what Umi's mother had done to her. She couldn't blame her for being wary. "I won't hurt you, Umi. I promise."

Even without touching Umi she could tell that something was very wrong with her. She wouldn't dare try to look into her mind further though. Umi already seemed to be afraid of her. She watched as the other girl shook her head. "Alright. I won't do anything. I'm just going to sit with you, okay?"

Umi peaked over her arms and watched as Maki sat down on the far corner of the bed, clearly trying to keep her distance. For a moment the two just stared at each other until Umi couldn't take the silence any longer and decided to speak up. "K-Kotori said that she's staying with you now."

"Yeah." Maki said quietly. "In one of the apartments my family owns. She didn't want to go back to her own house and she…" She paused, mulling over her words. She couldn't exactly tell Umi that Kotori didn't feel comfortable with staying with her and Honoka. "She just wanted somewhere quiet."

"Your father can't get to you there, can he?" Umi asked, rubbing her aching head. "He must know where the apartment is. Couldn't he go after you?"

Maki shook her head. "He wouldn't think to look for us there. Kotori's perfectly safe with me. Nobody else knows where we are either. Just Honoka and that's only because she asked." There was a brief moment of silence as Umi seemed to take that in. "So…how's your relationship with Honoka going?"

Umi blushed crimson at the question. "You know about that?"

"She did kiss you in front of everyone." Maki said with a small smile. Honoka didn't seem to be embarrassed about her relationship with Umi in any way. "Besides, it's obvious from the way she's been looking at you recently."

"It's….good." Umi answered vaguely, avoiding Maki's gaze. "Honoka is great, she's um…well I really like her. Love her even. She's just…Honoka, you know?" In many ways it hadn't surprised her that she had fallen for her best friend. It hadn't been difficult to do. Feeling as though her cheeks were on fire, she quickly changed the subject. "You and Kotori seem close recently. Like Kotori is to Honoka and I."

Maki felt her lips twitch up at the comparison. "Koto-nee has been my friend for a long time now, since I was really young. I suppose we've just recently rekindled our friendship - our real friendship, that is."

"Koto-nee?" Umi teased, finding it a relief to be so distracted from the pain in her head.

Maki blushed at the questioning. "I uh…used to call her that when we were kids."

Recently, Kotori had been making her call her that quite a bit but only when they were alone. It was embarrassing to have blurted the name out and not even realized it.

Umi nodded in understanding. "I didn't know the two of you were childhood friends."

"We were." Maki felt her chest tighten at the thought of the time they'd lost because of their misunderstanding. Her brow furrowed as she reflected on what Umi had said. "I thought…Kotori didn't talk about me to you and Honoka?"

"I…don't remember her mentioning you." Umi said, wondering if Kotori had actually mentioned Maki in the past. It wasn't as though she would remember it or anything.

"…Oh." Maki wasn't sure why she was disappointed by the answer. Maybe because Kotori had said that she had talked about her all of the time after the two had stopped spending time together. It had given Maki hope that what she'd thought when she was younger wasn't true. That Kotori wasn't actually embarrassed by her. "I-I thought…"

She was cut off as the door to the room opened, causing her to glance over her shoulder. She wasn't sure whether she was relieved or disappointed when Kotori and Honoka walked into the room. It seemed that Umi didn't have that problem as she hurriedly got up from the bed and rushed over to them.

"Honoka!" Umi threw her arms around Honoka, almost sending her stumbling back a step. The pain in her head faded instantly and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Where have you been?"

Honoka was surprised by the sudden embrace but she didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around Umi in return. "I-I just went to see Kotori-chan. I left you a note, did you not see it?"

"Y-Yeah, I saw it." Umi mumbled though she didn't make an effort to pull away from Honoka. It was a bit embarrassing to be so reliant upon her girlfriend but being close to Honoka was the only way to keep the pain away and keep her memories with her.

Kotori frowned at the interaction between her two friends, feeling a bit left out. It seemed like the two only had eyes for each other now. She shook her head. She was being selfish. She knew that Umi had gone through something traumatic and needed Honoka more than ever. It wasn't as though they were trying to push her away even if it felt that way.

"Maki-chan, maybe we should go." Kotori said, nodding toward the door. It was obvious to her that Honoka and Umi needed some time to talk, or whatever it was they did when Umi got like this. She reached her hand out to Maki who stood up and walked past her without taking it. Kotori stood there for a moment, her stomach sinking at the subtle rejection. Slowly, she closed her hand and followed Maki out of the room, leaving Honoka and Umi behind, the former glancing at her in concern.

—-

The journey back to Maki's apartment was nothing short of agonizingly painful. Maki wouldn't look at her and Kotori was too busy trying to figure out what she had done wrong to say anything to her. She wondered if it had been the reason Maki had silently left the apartment in the first place.

When they walked into the apartment, Maki threw her keys down onto the small table next to the door and kicked off her shoes before heading off toward her bedroom.

"Maki-chan!" Kotori called out, struggling out of her jacket. She was relieved when her voice seemed to stop Maki in her tracks. "What's wrong? D-Did I do something?"

Maki clenched her jaw. "You didn't do anything wrong, Kotori. It's fine."

Kotori, having managed to slip her shoes off, walked closer to Maki. "If I didn't do anything why won't you look at me?"

Maki's hands shook at her side. She should have seen this coming. She should never have allowed herself to hope that things could be different. "You lied to me."

Kotori frowned at the response. "What?"

"You said you talked about me to Honoka and Umi, when you became friends with them. You said that you wanted me to meet them but it isn't true, is it? You never talked about me with them. Umi said so herself. She says she can't remember you ever mentioning me." She tried not to sound as hurt as she felt but it was impossible. "I guess it's true that you were embarrassed by me."

For a moment, Kotori could only stare at Maki as everything seemed to fall into place. It made sense that Umi wouldn't remember, given her issues with her memory. "Maki-chan…" She walked over to Maki and slipped her arms around her waist, embracing her from behind. "I did talk about you all of the time back then. Honoka-chan can tell you that if you ask her. I was so proud of having a friend like you, even after we stopped talking. Honoka-chan always used to tease me about it, saying that I couldn't shut up about you. She could never sit still long enough to really listen but Umi-chan always did."

She could feel Maki trembling in her arms though she wasn't sure why. Maybe because she wanted to get away. Sighing, Kotori rested her forehead against Maki's shoulder. "They've always known how much I care about you, Maki-chan. You were my precious childhood friend, just like Honoka-chan and Umi-chan."

Maki took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure she could bring herself to believe Kotori. Too many people had lied to her in the past. "But Umi…"

"Umi-chan can't remember." Kotori finished for her, though she was wary of doing so. "There's a reason for that. You…you know yourself that something isn't right with her, Maki-chan."

Maki felt a chill run through her and drew away from Kotori, turning to face her. "You know what it is, don't you?"

Kotori looked away. "I can't tell you. I promised Umi-chan I would keep it a secret, even from Honoka-chan. It's not my secret to tell."

"I won't tell anyone else, I promise. But you have to tell me. There's something really wrong with Umi, I know there is. " Maki reached out and grabbed both of Kotori's hands, "Please Koto-nee. I just want to help. Umi's drowning, I can feel it." She was no empath like Nozomi but she knew despair when she saw it. "I need to help."

Kotori's eyes darted from side to side. She felt like she was betraying Umi but the secret weighed heavy on her shoulders. There was no way she could go on keeping it to herself. It was too important and there was nothing she could do to help. But she didn't want to say it out loud, almost afraid that someone would overhear them. "Maki-chan…I don't know what to do."

"Tell me." Maki's voice was soft and soothing, a far cry from the irritated voice she had been using not to long ago. She let go of one of Kotori's hands, resting hers on the ashen haired girl's shoulder instead. "It's okay. You can trust me, Koto-nee."

Kotori let go of Maki's hand and moved close to her instead, hugging her tightly. "Umi-chan is…" She turned her head so that her mouth was right next to Maki's ear, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Her mother took away her childhood memories. That's why…she doesn't remember me mentioning you. She doesn't remember us either."

Maki's eyes widened at the explanation. She felt the corners of her eyes prick with unwanted tears and immediately wrapped her arms around Kotori's back. Burying her head against the older girl's shoulder. She wasn't happy about the fact that Umi had lost her memories, but she just felt so relieved that she wasn't being lied to again. She was barely able to sleep after finding out her father's involvement with the virus and whatever else he was a part of.

Kotori inhaled sharply at the tightness of Maki's embrace. It was unexpected though it didn't take long for her to realize why it was so tight. "Come on, Maki-chan." She lifted her hand, brushing it over Maki's red hair. She pulled back from the embrace and took Maki's hand, leading her into the bedroom. Closing the door behind them, she let go of the hand in her own and crawled onto the bed before looking expectantly to Maki.

Maki stared at Kotori in contemplation for a moment, trying to figure out what she wanted from her. It became apparent when her friend patted the space next to her on the bed. Embarrassed, she shifted on the spot, unsure as to what to do.

"Please, Maki-chan?" Kotori's voice was quiet and pleading, a tinge of sadness to her words.

Maki took a deep breath before she headed over to the bed and lay down on her side next to Kotori. "I didn't know you could be this embarrassing, Koto-nee."

Kotori beamed at Maki's acceptance and turned onto her own side to face her. "I missed being called that. When we were younger…it used to make me feel special. You didn't say anyone else's name like that." She reached out, brushing her fingers against Maki's hair. She remembered that she used to be infatuated with it when she was younger. It was so vibrant, a stark contrast to her own hair. She twirled a strand around her finger, marvelling at the way it felt against her skin. "I-I'm glad I still have you, Maki-chan."

Maki would have been happy with that, had it not been for the saddened tone of Kotori's voice. "Are you?" She prompted gently. "You don't sound very happy about it."

"Oh…" Kotori tucked her bottom lip between her teeth, staying silent for a moment. "I um…it's nothing. It's silly. And selfish."

Maki blinked at Kotori, trying to work out what was going on in her head. She could look for herself, though she would never do that without permission. "If it's upsetting you I want to know."

"It's just…" Kotori's voice wavered. She didn't want to admit her fears, as if doing so would make them come true. "I'm losing them. Honoka-chan and Umi-chan."

"What? No…"

"I-I'm in love with Honoka-chan!" Kotori blurted out, effectively interrupting Maki's protests. "A-And I know it's horrible. Umi-chan is dating her and she needs her more than ever right now and I'm just being selfish. But…but Honoka and I are supposed to be together in the future! Future Honoka-chan told me so but my Honoka-chan doesn't even see me any more. I may as well be invisible to her."

Maki was taken aback by the overload of information and for a moment she didn't say anything. "I don't think you could ever be invisible to her. She's always going to see you." She watched in concern as Kotori blinked rapidly, obviously trying to blink back tears. "She loves you, Koto-nee. She was so angry with what…Toujou did to you. You saw how she reacted back there. Do you think she would have done that if it was anyone else?"

"If it was Umi-chan…" Kotori trailed off, guilt silencing her. She was envying Umi, of all people, who had lost her memories. Her childhood. She drew her hands back, covering her face with them. "Oh god…what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing." Maki shuffled forward and wrapped her arms around Kotori, placing a hand on the back of her head to draw it close to her chest. "Nothing is wrong with you. You're just human, that's all." She knew that Kotori held no animosity toward Umi. It was clear that Kotori adored both of her best friends. "It's normal to feel…left out."

She had felt that way when Kotori had become friends with Honoka and Umi. In her case she had felt plenty of animosity toward the two of them. She didn't point that out, aware that it would only make Kotori feel worse. Slowly, she drew back to meet Kotori's teary eyes. "It's okay to feel that way."

Maki watched as Kotori wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. Not thinking about what she was doing, she reached up to grip her hand only for her fingers to brush against the finger shaped bruise on her wrist.

Kotori jerked back with a gasp, her eyes going wide at the touch. Shuffling away from Maki she turned onto her other side and curled into herself, crying silently.

Maki sat bolt upright, her chest tightening at the sight of Kotori's fear. She couldn't help but think it was because of her. Umi was afraid of her, afraid of her ability. She reached out to touch Kotori's trembling back but paused before she could. It would probably just frighten her even more.

"K-Koto-nee, I'm sorry." She hadn't meant to touch the bruise, she had been aiming for Kotori's fingers. "I didn't mean to…I'm not her. I'm not going to hurt you. I promise." She moved closer, reaching out again to place a hand tentatively on Kotori's back. She felt the flinch beneath her hand, even if it was subtle. "Please, Koto-nee. It's just me. It's Maki. You trust me, right?"

There was no answer from Kotori and Maki felt tears flood her own eyes. It wasn't fair, that this was happening to Kotori. She gritted her teeth, cursing Nozomi for what she'd done. "Koto-nee, please…" She pressed her forehead against the centre of Kotori's back, her voice breaking. "I couldn't take it if you were afraid of me too."

Everyone seemed to be afraid of her. Afraid of her ability. Umi continuously flinched away from her and wouldn't let her help. Even Future Honoka seemed somewhat afraid that Maki would use her power to invade her memories. It had always been like this. People thought that she was a monster because of her ability. There was such a thing as having too much knowledge. Maki knew that better than anyone. "I'd never hurt you. You have to believe that."

There was a long silence before she felt Kotori release a shuddering breath and a hand clasped her own.

 _"Will you sing to me, Maki-chan?"_

Maki's breath caught in her throat. For a moment she thought that she had heard wrong but then she realized she hadn't heard it at all, at least not out loud. The fact that Kotori had reached out to her, to her ability spoke volumes. The request reminded her of Future Honoka's, of the song she had requested specifically. She moved up so that her voice wouldn't be muffled by Kotori's back and took a breath.

"Aishteru Banzia! Koko de yokatta…" Maki closed her eyes as she began to sing softly. A memory from when she was much younger came to mind. She was sitting on the piano stool, could barely reach the peddles and right next to her was a taller Kotori. The older girl was smiling as she watched the six year old sing to her. It was one of the happiest memories Maki had as a child.

She continued to sing softly until she was sure Kotori was asleep. Just as she was about to doze off herself she heard a tapping sound, like knocking on glass. Her eyes automatically turned to the balcony doors and widened at the sight of Future Honoka standing there. "What…?"

She quickly stood up from the bed and walked over to the balcony, sliding open the door. "What are you doing here? How did you even find us?"

Future Honoka shrugged. "I have my ways. Kotori-chan is here, isn't she?"

"She's sleeping." Maki said in a hushed whisper, as if she had just remembered that Kotori was sleeping in the bed right behind her. "Is that why you're here? To see her?"

"Why else would I be here?" Honoka asked, slightly confused by the question. "Though I do miss sleeping with you."

"D-Don't say it like that!" Maki spluttered, her cheeks reddening.

Future Honoka chuckled under her breath and glanced briefly over her shoulder as if checking to make sure nobody had followed her. "I heard that most of you hadn't gone home. I suppose it's true."

Maki nodded in response. "Except Hanayo and Honoka."

"Honoka." Future Honoka spoke her own name with a tone of distaste. "I heard she threw Nozomi out of μ's."

Maki tensed at the mention of Nozomi's name, her hands tightening into fists at her sides. "Don't say her name around me."

Future Honoka frowned, feeling oddly defensive of the girl currently living with her. "You all know Nozomi. You know she would never do anything like this so why…?"

Maki shook her head adamantly. "I saw it with my own eyes! Koto-nee has bruises on her wrists you know, from where _she_ pinned her to the wall. And her lip is still bothering her after it was bitten. More importantly she's still terrified of what _Nozomi_ could do to her next. You didn't see it, Honoka. But I did. And I heard everything Nozomi said to Eli."

"But Nozomi…"

"Kotori and Eli are supposed to be the most important people to you, right?" Maki demanded, her eyes aflame with anger. "If that's true you need to shut up and stop defending Nozomi right now. If you plan to talk to Kotori she doesn't need to hear you calling her a liar."

"I'm not going to say anything to Kotori-chan. But after everything Nozomi has done for you - for all of you, you're just going to abandon her like this?!" Honoka's own irritation filtered into her voice as she spoke. "You're going to regret this, Maki. You're all…" She was cut off by the sound of movement behind Maki.

"Maki-chan?" Kotori called groggily as she sat up in the bed.

Maki turned and walked back into the room, not wanting Kotori to worry about where she'd gone. "I'm right here."

Kotori blinked in confusion as she watched Maki shoot a glare toward the balcony. When she looked in that direction she found Future Honoka standing there. "Honoka-chan!"

"Kotori-chan." Honoka forced a smile at the sight of Kotori and stepped further into the room, trying to ignore Maki's warning glare. "I was wondering if…we could talk for a few minutes? In private maybe?"

"Oh, I um…" Kotori glanced toward Maki to find that she was still staring daggers at Future Honoka. "Yes. Of course we can."

Honoka waited until Kotori had slid out of bed and walked past her onto the balcony before she shot a glare back at Maki. She followed Kotori out, sliding the door closed behind them.

"I wanted to see how you are." Future Honoka explained quietly as she glanced over at Kotori. "I-I heard what happened." Her eyes strayed to the bruises on Kotori's wrists though she didn't stare for too long. She couldn't.

"Oh." Kotori said softly. She rubbed her arms and shivered at the chill in the air. "I-I'm fine, I suppose."

"Kotori-chan." Honoka's voice was gentle as she stripped off her jacket. She moved closer, putting it carefully around Kotori's shoulders. "You don't have to pretend with me."

Kotori gripped the sides of the jacket, pulling it closed in front of her chest. "I…I'm not fine. I keep thinking about it…about the way she kissed me. It was…forceful, there was no warmth at all..not like yours. And the way she looked at me, it was like she wanted to hurt me. I didn't think Nozomi-chan would ever do that. Why…why would she do that?"

Future Honoka froze as hurt amber eyes looked up into her own. She could only shake her head in response, not trusting herself to speak.

Kotori turned away again, trying to blink back the tears that brimmed in her eyes. She had cried so much earlier that she was sure she couldn't continue but apparently that wasn't true.

"Kotori-chan?" Honoka finally spoke up, her voice soft. She couldn't just stand by and watch while Kotori was upset. "Is it alright if…can I hug you?" She hesitantly opened her arms, surprised when Kotori turned and stepped right into them. She had expected her to be wary at least. She held her close, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "I won't let her touch you again, Kotori-chan."

—

Nozomi hesitated outside of the student council room, her clammy hand gripping the door handle. She could hear someone in there. She had to assume it was Eli, having not seen her around the school. It wasn't as though anyone else would be in there anyway.

Future Honoka had warned her against this, saying it wouldn't help anything but it had been almost a week since she had spoken to Eli. She couldn't take it any more.

She took a deep breath and pushed open the door, letting herself into the room. Her gaze went straight to the blonde who had just looked up from a folder she was thumbing through. "Elichi…"

"N-Nozomi…" Eli quickly looked away from Nozomi, her chest tightening.

"What do you want?!"

It wasn't Eli who spoke but someone else and Nozomi realized in surprise that she wasn't alone with Eli. Nico was sitting at a desk across the room, thumbing through an idol magazine.

"I thought I told you to stay the hell away from her. From all of us." Nico got to her feet, tossing down the magazine she was reading. "Get out."

Nozomi swallowed convulsively. "I'm the vice president of the student council, Nicocchi. As long as Elichi is here, my place is right by her side. I won't let you…" She broke off, flinching as Nico punched the table she was standing next to. The sound echoed through the room.

"Nico!" Eli exclaimed, standing up quickly.

"I know most of us are against violence - not you obviously, after what you did to Kotori - but if you don't leave I'm going to shove you through the door myself. And don't think that I'll bother to open it before I do."

Nozomi shook her head, stubbornly standing her ground. "Elichi, please just listen to me. I can explain all of this, I just need to talk to you in private. I…"

"Like hell! So you can play your mind games with her again?" Nico practically spat as she walked over to Nozomi, purposefully positioning herself between the other two third years. "You have some nerve coming here."

Nozomi didn't seem to be paying attention to Nico, too focused on Eli. "Elichi…"

Eli blinked back the tears in her eyes and shook her head. It wasn't fair, that Nozomi was messing with her in such a way. She had never imagined her best friend would do that. "You should leave before Nico does what she said. I don't want to have to add a new door to the school's budget."

"E-Elichi, please…" Nozomi's features crumbled and she made to take a step forward only for Nico to get in her way.

"You have three seconds to get the hell out of here." Nico said angrily, her fists clenched at her sides. "1…2…" She trailed off as Nozomi turned and hurried from the room. "Damn, I was almost hoping to get to 3. The nerve of her…" She turned around in time to see Eli slump defeatedly into her seat. "Hey, cheer up. You're obviously better off without her if she goes around attacking people like she did with Kotori."

Eli nodded though she couldn't bring herself to answer. She was still confused by how Nozomi had gone from cherishing her friends to attacking them. Though she supposed it might have been an act. She'd thought Nozomi had loved her too.

"So you're coming over tonight, right?" Nico asked, suddenly right in front of Eli's desk. The startled blonde looked up sharply.

"No, I…I have other plans."

"Oh?" Nico asked curiously. Eli had been spending almost every night with her and her siblings. "What kind of plans?"

"I'm going to visit Honoka. The older one." Eli answered quietly, her mind elsewhere. "She's been alone for a while now, I'm sure she could use some company."

"Hmm. Alright then, just make sure she doesn't drag you into anything crazy." Nico said warily. There was something about the future version of Honoka that unnerved her. Maybe it was how broken she was, or maybe it was just because she was so different from their Honoka. She wasn't sure. "Just be careful."

Eli managed a small smile at the concern she heard in Nico's voice. "You don't have to worry. She's pretty nice when you get to know here. And she actually cares about me, which is more than I can say for some people…"

Nico raised an eyebrow at the distant look in Eli's eyes. "Like I said, be careful."


	14. Chapter 14

Warning for sexual scenes. M rated.

Future Honoka blinked as the words in front of her eyes seemed to blur, blending together. She had been reading through the research she'd accumulated about A-Rise for a while now and she wasn't getting anywhere. It seemed like she was just reading the things she already knew.

She sighed and pushed the file away from her, tiredly rubbing her eyes. She couldn't stand reading about Anju for too long. Reading about her power made her think of the way Anju had killed Nozomi. She shuddered at the recurring thought. Tsubasa may have been the leader of A-Rise, and in many ways the most powerful member yet for some reason none of them scared Honoka more than Anju. Maybe it was because she was so ruthless or maybe it was because of what she'd done to Nozomi. Honoka assumed it was the latter. Of all of her friends deaths, Nozomi's had been the worst to witness.

Hearing a knock at the door, Honoka stood up and walked over to it, expecting to find Nozomi there. The younger girl had popped out a few hours earlier, promising to be back before nightfall. She was surprised when she opened the door and found Eli standing there, her arms wrapped around herself. "Eli, what…what are you doing here?"

Eli didn't answer the question. "Can I come in?"

"Of course." Honoka was relieved that Nozomi wasn't there. She couldn't imagine having to tell Eli that she couldn't enter the hotel room. She wasn't sure how she would have even started to explain why. She stepped aside, allowing the blonde to pass her. She made sure to lock the door behind Eli, just in case Nozomi came back. "Are you…okay?"

Eli shot Honoka a look as she sank down onto the edge of the bed. "Not really."

"Right. Sorry…" Future Honoka made her way to the bed and sat down next to Eli. As she moved over, she noticed the blonde was wearing black jeans, a dark shirt and a leather jacket. Her hair was down too, falling around her shoulders. Honoka's heart clenched as she was reminded of her Eli. "You look different."

"Is that a problem?" Eli asked, tilting her head slightly to the side. "I felt like a change, that's all. You don't like it?"

Honoka swallowed apprehensively. Something was wrong, she could feel it. Eli's eyes were slightly red, letting her know that tears had been shed at some point earlier but at the moment there wasn't a tear in sight. "No, it looks good! It looks really good. It's just…what's the special occasion?"

Eli's gaze had shifted as Honoka spoke up. After a moment she looked up at Honoka with half lidded eyes. "Nothing special, I just felt like it. Why? Did you want it to be a special occasion?" She gave a half smile and inched her hand toward Honoka's, their fingers gently brushing. "We could make it one, if you want…"

"Huh?" Honoka suddenly felt like she was in high school again, faced with her first crush on Kotori. Or was it Umi? She couldn't recall. Her memories were so mixed up at times. "Wha…"

"Cat got your tongue Ho-no-ka?" Eli whispered softly as she gripped the older woman's hand, amused by the change in character. "You're being so quiet. Usually you'd come up with some kind of cool comeback, right? You don't have one for me tonight?"

"I-I'm just confused." Future Honoka gave a slight shake of her head. "You need to give me a few seconds to catch up…"

"I can make myself at home then?" Eli finally let go of Honoka's hand and slipped out of her jacket, revealing the tank top she was wearing underneath. "Don't mind me."

Honoka watched as Eli tossed her jacket aside, her mouth running dry. She didn't know what was wrong with Eli, or why she was acting so strange, but she was slightly uncomfortable in the situation. She had expected crying from the past version of her friend, maybe even yelling, but this was completely unexplored territory. She watched as Eli's gaze seemed to catch on something below her neck.

"You still have my necklace." Eli said, only a hint of accusation in her voice. She reached out, lifting the small cross from Honoka's skin and closely examined it. After so long of not taking it off, it was odd to look at it from this angle. "I feel a bit lost without it."

Future Honoka swallowed thickly, almost waiting for Eli to tear the necklace from her. "Y-You can have it back if you want. I didn't mean to keep it…"

"It's fine, it seems like you need it more than me right now." Eli said with a shake of her head. She dropped the cross, allowing it to fall back to Honoka's chest. "I guess it doesn't matter though. It's not like it's hers. Your…Eli-senpai's. Is it really a good enough fill in?"

Honoka's chest constricted at the mention of her Eli and automatically she reached up to grip the cross herself. "I…don't really know." She admitted quietly. "You're right, in a way. It's yours, not hers. It's not like it's ever touched her. I mean…it has but at the same time it hasn't. It's just different. In my own time, it meant something different to her."

"Oh?" Eli asked quietly, her eyes locked on the cross in Honoka's hand.

"Eli-senpai believed in freedom. That was what this meant to her." Honoka explained softly, wrapped up in her memories. "She might have been out of control at times but she was always the first to help someone in need. She was a true hero. I always thought she should have been a leader, not a lieutenant but she said she didn't need the title. She was the strongest person I knew though. She was more fitting for the job than I was."

Eli frowned, a sickening feeling of jealousy creeping up within her. "You really loved her, huh? Must have been nice for her. To know that people loved her that much."

"What?" Honoka couldn't help but bristle at the irritated tone. "What's that supposed to mean? I've already told you, it's not like that."

Eli didn't seem to be listening to what Honoka was saying. "You loved her, Nozomi still loved her. I'm just saying, it must have been nice for her. To be with all of those people who _loved_ her as much as you did."

"Love. Not…past tense." Honoka knew that she wasn't helping her case by saying that but she couldn't help it. She had to. "Eli-senpai went through hell in the future. She lost her whole family, she lost Arisa, someone you still have. Don't make it sound like she had it easy. She never did. Even living a normal life was a struggle for her sometimes so just…just shut up! You have no idea what it was like for her. You two may be the same people but you're not the same."

"I lost Nozomi!" Eli exclaimed loudly, pained anger crossing her features. "She still had her in the future, didn't she? Nozomi still loved her? Why? What did she do differently? You're supposed to be the time traveller so tell me! Why doesn't Nozomi love me anymore?! What did I do that your damn 'Eli-senpai' didn't?!"

Honoka softened at the sight of moisture gathering in Eli's eyes. She reached over, gently taking her hand. "Why does it matter? Why do you think you need to do what Eli-senpai did when she was younger? You don't need to be her. You're right, I do love my Eli. I love her more than almost anyone but that doesn't mean I want you to turn into her. She had to grow up too fast and it wasn't easy for her at all. It almost killed her. Do you really think I care so little that I'd want you to go through the same thing? I want her…you to be happy."

"But…she must be better. You loved her, didn't you? A-And Nozomi is still…"

Honoka shushed Eli and lifted her free hand to gently wipe away a falling tear from the younger girl's face. "Stop it. You don't think my past self looks up to you the way I looked up to my Eli? Why do you even think she calls you Eli-senpai? She doesn't want you to change, she doesn't need you to. She's going to love you anyway."

Eli pressed her hand against the one on her cheek, holding it against her face. "What about you? Could you…love me?" She turned her head slightly, brushing her lips against Honoka's palm.

Honoka's heart pounded against her chest as she took in the sight of Eli's half lidded eyes and the way tears clung to her lashes. "Don't be stupid, I already do." She loved all of them, even if she was used to their future selves.

Eli offered a damp smile in response, one that Honoka couldn't help but find dazzling. Maybe because it reminded her of her Eli, she told herself. She held her breath as Eli kissed her hand, properly this time. Somewhere deep in the corner of her memories, she was reminded of a time when Umi had done the same thing, though of course it wasn't really her memory. It was her past self's.

Eli lowered Honoka's hand but gave a gentle tug, drawing her close. Seeing no reason for words, she gently kissed Honoka's cheek before speaking in a whisper. "I can see why the others are so hung up on you…"

Honoka shuddered at the feeling of hot breath against her ear. "Eli…"

Eli kissed Honoka's cheek again, then her jaw, then the corner of her lips. Just quick innocent pecks but they seemed to melt Honoka, her body relaxing against her will.

"Eli, you need to stop…"

"Why?" Eli whispered, her lips brushing against Honoka's. "I don't want to stop. I don't think you want me to either…do you?"

"I…uh…" Honoka could barely get her words out. The dampness of Eli's eyes seemed to emphasize the natural blue hues and she was finding it hard to breath. "You'll regret…" She was cut off by lips pressing firmly against her own. Her eyes widened briefly before sliding closed. She automatically kissed back. It was Eli after all, and it wouldn't be the first time they'd kissed. She felt a tugging on her shirt but didn't think anything of it until Eli pulled away to get her shirt over her head. She lifted her arms without thinking, allowing the clothing to be taken off.

"E-Eli, come on. We shouldn't…"

"Why?" Eli pressed herself close to Honoka, her fingers seeking on an area on her back. The gasp that escaped Honoka as her fingers brushed over the tattoo was satisfying. "You're lonely, aren't you? I notice it sometimes, when you look at Kotori. And I'm…" She didn't know how to explain what she felt. She missed Nozomi terribly. She felt empty without her. Empty and worthless after what Nozomi had told her. She just wanted to feel wanted. "I want you."

"S-Stop, we can't…even if we want to, it's not right." Honoka pulled away and turned her back on Eli but that proved to be a bad idea. Arms gently circled her waist and hot lips found their way to her back, over the tattoo. Honoka shuddered at the touch. She hated that she was sensitive there, and she hated that Eli knew about it even more. Both her Eli and this Eli did, given their strange fascination with touching that area.

Teeth gently scraped over the tattooed area, followed by the brush of Eli's tongue. Honoka groaned helplessly as heat flooded to her lower stomach. "Oh god. Eli…" She squirmed as Eli continued to kiss the spot over and over. It was somewhat of a relief when Eli's attention strayed elsewhere but as lips trailed to her neck she found that was almost as bad. Or good, as it were. "Eli…"

"How long has it been for you?" Eli asked huskily, her hand sneaking between them. She unlatched Honoka's bra and slowly slid it down her arms before discarding it. "You can hardly sit still, it must have been a while."

Honoka whimpered, the words alone sending a rush to the apex of her thighs. "Don't say things like that…" It was true, it had been a long time since she'd been with someone intimately. As she remembered, the last time she'd had sex with Kotori had been a few days before she was kidnapped by A-Rise.

Eli lightly sucked on Honoka's neck, adamant about leaving a mark there. Her hand trailed over a toned stomach until she could lightly cup Honoka's breast in her hand.

"W-Wait…"

"If it makes it easier you can pretend I'm her. If you want…" Eli whispered, removing her lips from Honoka's neck. "Either of them. Kotori, your Eli-senpai…whatever you need. I could be her for you if that's what you need."

Honoka's breathing was shallow and it took her a few moments to think up an answer. The fact that Eli went right back to kissing her neck and kneading her breast didn't help matters. She lost her last shred of self control and turned, cupping Eli's cheeks in her hands. She kissed her deeply, feeling Eli kiss her back in kind, arms circling her.

"You're Eli." She muttered when they pulled back. "Just Eli. That's good enough. Alright?" She waited for a shaky nod before she leaned in and kissed Eli again. Having tried to resist Eli's temptations she was impatient and didn't hesitate to deepen the kiss, her tongue sweeping past Eli's parted lips. It felt good, as she let her warm hands wander down the girl's body, allowing them to come to rest upon Eli's slender waist.

The need for bare contact grew quickly and she gripped the thin fabric of the girl's tank top, tugging it upward past taut muscles. She was forced to draw back from the kiss and bit her lip as she allowed her gaze to dip down, admiring the younger girl's lean figure. Her dancing had done her nothing but favors, Honoka couldn't help but notice. Her gaze lingered on the lacy bra that was revealed as she tugged the tank top up. "Were you planning to get into my pants?"

Eli flushed at the question and arched her back to allow Honoka to pull her top off. It was true, to some extent. She had gone to Honoka with exactly that intention. She wanted to lose herself in someone. She wanted to feel as if someone wanted her. Nozomi clearly didn't. "I-I just…" She trailed off uncertainly, causing Honoka's brow to furrow further in confusion. Wanting to put off the questioning, Eli surged up and kissed Honoka again, her arms going around her neck.

Thankfully, Honoka didn't protest further, melting into the kiss instead. Slowly, Eli leaned back and Honoka went with her, using one arm to prop herself up so as not to make Eli uncomfortable. The hand that had been resting upon Eli's cheek slid down, fingers trailing down her neck and over her shoulder. Drawing her mouth away, Honoka followed the path she had mapped out, pressing gentle kisses against soft skin. Basking in the gentle gasps that escaped Eli, she distractedly pushed aside the dark bra strap, at the same time biting down lightly on the skin beneath her lips.

Eli gasped sharply, her hand flying to the back of Honoka's head. She gripped her hair though she did nothing to push her away. If anything, she drew her closer, arching her body up into the touch. The bite hurt, a bit, but it was nothing she couldn't take and the pleasure far outweighed the pain.

"Honoka…"

Honoka shuddered as Eli groaned her name. A moment later she felt legs wrap strongly around her waist, the heels of Eli's feet digging into the backs of her thighs. She returned to Eli's lips and kissed her hard, her hand slipping between them. She brushed her fingers against the front of Eli's bra, satisfied by the sharp inhalation she felt rather than heard. It was intoxicating, to hear such sounds from her. She'd never considered doing this with her Eli, or rather she hadn't considered it seriously. Her Eli was an attractive woman after all so she couldn't help but indulge in some fantasies.

Her fingers strayed further, finding the front clasp of the bra. She unclasped it and helped Eli out of it before discarding it to the side. She pulled away and took a deep breath as she let her eyes wander down the other girl's body.

Eli held her breath as Honoka examined her closely. She almost felt the urge to cover up in front of the older woman but resisted.

There were no scars on Eli's body. Not like her own body or even Future Eli's body, Honoka couldn't help but notice. Awed, she slid her finger from Eli's clavicle, down between the valley of her breast and over her stomach before being stopped by her jeans.

"You're beautiful…" She whispered, lifting her gaze to Eli's. Eli was soft everywhere in a way that Honoka wasn't used to anymore. She watched as Eli blushed deeply, her skin heating up enough for Honoka to flinch just a little bit. She smiled at the reaction and slowly flicked open the button of Eli's jeans. She couldn't resist leaning down to kiss the soft skin of her abdomen as she pushed the zipper down, nor could she do anything about her need to push the jeans down, following them with smatterings of kisses.

Eli inhaled slowly as she looked down at Honoka, her heart pounding against her chest. Her body was flooded with heat, so much so that she briefly worried that she'd activate her power.

Honoka intentionally missed anything important as she kissed her way down Eli's body. She kissed the waistband of the younger girl's lacy underwear before skipping to the top of her thigh. She grinned as she looked up, finding a slightly disappointed look on Eli's face.

"Don't tease me." The younger girl whispered as she continued to frown at the older woman's actions.

"But the teasing is the best part." Honoka shuffled back, pulling Eli's jeans off. She heard them drop softly to the floor and moved back up to kneel between Eli's knees. Entranced, she ran her hands over soft thighs. slowly pushing them apart. Her eyes caught on a familiar scar and she leaned down, kissing it gently. She'd only seen it once before as she remembered. Back when it was the only scar Eli had, like now.

She'd caught sight of it when they'd slept together during a mission. Neither of them were very good at sleeping alone in the future, which was why she often found herself sleeping either with Eli, Nozomi or with Eli and Nozomi when Kotori wasn't there. Sometimes she slept with Maki too, when the others weren't around but it hadn't been long since she'd started doing that. She was still somewhat nervous around the redhead when she had nightmares. After Kotori, Eli was always her favourite option. She kept her warm, not to mention safe.

Eli gasped gently as Honoka kissed her way up from the scar, stopping a few inches from where she needed her. "Honoka, please…"

Honoka smiled softly as her hands slipped into the waistband of Eli's panties, tugging them gently down soft thighs. She felt Eli kick them off.

"I-I want you here." Eli reached out to Honoka who obediently went to her, allowing arms to wrap around her back. Feeling Eli's hips moving subtly against her own, she kissed the blonde again, her hand slipping between them. She was slightly surprised by the heated flesh that met her fingers down there. It was far hotter than she was used to. She supposed she should have expected it from a pyrokinetic ability wielder.

She pressed down with her fingers again, more than happy to take the heat. "You're hot…"

Eli moaned softly at the sensation and tilted her head back. "I-In what way?"

Honoka was surprised by the question and gave a gentle laugh as she pushed her fingers deeper. The answering moan from Eli was like music to her ears. "In every way."

Eli's grip on Honoka tightened, her eyes closing tightly as she focused on the movements of Honoka's fingers. She didn't protest when Honoka kissed her again, infact the gesture caused her to arch her hips to get closer. She inhaled sharply through her nose as fingers, which had previously been gently rubbing, easily slid into her. Her head spun from the sensation and she gripped Honoka tighter, nails digging into the skin beneath her fingers.

She couldn't help but notice that Honoka's touch was different to Nozomi's. It seemed that they both liked to tease though Nozomi would have kept her touches lighter, would have teased for longer, to really rile Eli up. Honoka wasn't doing that, her movements were rougher now, the strokes of her fingers long and deep.

Nozomi wouldn't have been so rough, she would probably have been worried to be. She'd only been as rough as Honoka on a couple of occasions and had always been slightly apologetic afterwards. It was sweet in a way, that she cared enough to feel guilty for being a bit rougher than usual.

Eli's eyes stung with tears and she pulled away from Honoka's kiss. Her hands, which had been gripping at the middle of Honoka's back went around her shoulders instead and she buried her face in the older girl's neck, a soft sob escaping her despite her best efforts. She felt Honoka's touch falter in response and pushed her hips forward.

"Harder." She whispered, giving Honoka a firm squeeze. This wasn't Nozomi, she reminded herself. It was Honoka, who actually loved her, or rather loved a version of her, more than Eli could comprehend. It wasn't Nozomi, who had left her broken. Who apparently didn't love her at all. "Harder, Honoka!"

Honoka was surprised by the request but she nodded anyway and turned her head, her lips brushing against Eli's ear. "Bite me if it gets too much, alright?" She took a shaky breath before she pushed another finger inside, not hesitating in continuing with the rhythm she had previously picked up.

Eli bit down on her lip, failing to hold back moans that seemed to loud even to her as she moved her hips in tandem with Honoka's movements. An especially deep thrust had her gasping for breath as she pushed her body firmly against Honoka's, her breasts brushing against the young woman's. "Fuck…"

Honoka winced as nails dug deeply into her back but she didn't pause what she was doing for a second. The heat surrounding her fingers was incomprehensible, even to her. She'd never felt like anything like it but she supposed that heat was something Eli had a lot of. Her Eli certainly had. The urge to explore the heat further overwhelmed her and she squirmed out of Eli's grip none too easily.

She slipped down, ignoring Eli's protest as her fingers briefly stilled. As soon as she was situated between Eli's thighs, she continued the movement and reached up with her other hand, her fingers gripping at Eli's to reassure her.

Eli's eyes widened in surprise as Honoka leaned in, lips pressing against her heated core. Her body arched as a tongue lapped at her. "Shit…" She lifted her hand and bit down on it, struggling to keep the noise down as she reacted to the explosive touch. It was as though every nerve ending was suddenly aflame, heat flooding through her body. For a moment she thought she _might_ be on fire but a quick glance down let her know that wasn't the case.

Blue eyes, partially covered by long bangs, flitted up to meet her own. The look was enough to push her to her peak and her back arched sharply as she clutched onto Honoka's hand. She clamped her eyes shut tightly, her hips jerking as the pleasure that had been slowly growing seemed to wash over her at once. She collapsed down on the bed after, her chest heaving and her mind empty. It was exactly what she had wanted, to forget ab _out everything that was happening._

She felt Honoka move from between her legs and a moment later, arms went around her, holding her close. For a few minutes all she could do was try to catch her breath, her eyes remaining shut. She was aware of Honoka's presence the whole time though. Fingers gently brushed her hair from her face, sweeping tenderly down her cheek, brushing against her lips before Honoka's hand came to rest on her heaving chest.

 _"Elichi?" Nozomi's hand which had been gently resting upon Eli's hip moved and she gently poked her girlfriend in the ribs. Eli's breathing had slowed down now though she seemed to have zoned out. Hearing no response, she lifted her head from Eli's bare chest to look at her. "Elichi?"_

 _"Hmm?" Eli blinked as if torn from her thoughts and looked to Nozomi. "O-Oh, Nozomi. I um…sorry, I was just thinking. What is it?"_

 _"What is it?" Nozomi raised a playful eyebrow in response. "You've been ignoring me since you…" she paused as Eli's eyes widened, obviously expecting some kind of explicit language from her. Nozomi smiled slyly. "Finished."_

 _Eli wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed by the tame explanation. "Ah, I-I was just thinking about Honoka. Future Honoka, I mean."_

 _"Oh?" Nozomi paused at the answer, her brow furrowing slightly in concern. "What about her?"_

 _"She was saying that in the future, her Eli…isn't the same as me. That I'm out of control sometimes, trying to get myself killed." She felt Nozomi shudder at the thought and reached up, gently cupping her cheek. "I was just thinking that I wouldn't want you to have to deal with me like that. If I turn into that kind of person…do you really think we're still together in the future?"_

 _Nozomi let out out a soft chuckle before reaching over and brushing Eli's bangs from her face. She leaned in and gently kissed the blonde's lips before taking her cheeks into her hands. "I'm sure we are, there's no way I would leave you. I love you Elichi. Do you hear me? I am madly in love with you, Ayase Eli and there is nothing that would ever cause me to leave you. Nothing."_

 _Eli felt tears begin to sting her eyes at such an confession. She sniffled and turned her head to the side, biting her lip. She had never felt so much love from anyone before. It was strange, Nozomi could say it so easily and yet she found it so difficult to even grasp the idea. "You're terrible…"_

 _"Ehh!? I just gave you my heart!? No fair, Elichi!"_

 _"I love you so much Nozomi…you're just everything to me." Eli felt her cheeks flush at the confession. She was sure that Nozomi could feel it beneath her hands. A few moments of silence ticked by and Eli worried that she had said the wrong thing. It was silly, that she was getting so emotional. Nozomi was probably going to tease her for it. Then Nozomi was there, kissing her though, and Eli swore that she could feel a similar dampness on her girlfriend's cheeks._

Eli felt tears form in her eyes as she tried to get that damn memory out of her mind. She needed a distraction. Everything Nozomi had told her that night was a lie, a complete lie. She said she would never leave her but she had. She'd said she loved her but she didn't. Not really.

 _"Well I don't love you. I don't think I ever did, really. I wanted to. More than anything I wanted to think that you could be what I need, but you're not."_

She turned onto her side and wrapped her arms around Honoka, burying her face into her chest. "Honoka…"

"Hmm?" Honoka mumbled, brushing her fingers gently through Eli's hair. She waited for a moment until Eli looked up at her, tears shimmering in her bright blue eyes. "What…?"

"Tell me…" Eli choked on the lump in her throat and had to pause for a moment before she continued. "Tell me you love me. If…if you do. Don't lie."

Honoka's chest ached. She felt like she would cry herself, at witnessing Eli's pain. "I love you, Eli." She reached down to brush Eli's tears away with her fingers and gently kissed her lips. "I love you."

Eli exhaled in relief. The words seemed to soothe her somewhat. Her hand moved to the back of Honoka's head and she drew her in to kiss her again, brushing her tongue against soft lips before gaining access to slip inside.

Honoka relaxed into the kiss, her hands wandering idly up and down the silky skin of Eli's back. The softness was entrancing. It wasn't something she was used to feeling anymore.

Eli shifted so that she was atop Honoka, pressing her breasts against her chest. She could feel Honoka's muscles tighten and she figured she could at least do something for the poor woman. It really must have been a while since she was touched.

She lifted her face away briefly and pushed her torso up, using one hand to steady herself. She caught sight of a jagged line adoring the woman's skin under her breasts and curiously brushed her fingers against it. "You have these scattered all over…"

Honoka's cheeks flushed crimson at the innocent observation and she barely managed to resist the urge to cover up. "You don't have to say that."

Eli's eyes snapped up to Honoka, worried that she had said something wrong. "S-Sorry, I just…" She shrugged meekly. She had felt them before, when her hands had been wandering over Future Honoka's torso, but seeing them was different. "I'm sorry." She whispered again before she leaned down and gently kissed Honoka's neck. She kissed her way down, being careful of the few scars she came across despite paying special attention to them. Rather than being put off by the scars, she found to her surprise that she was fascinated by the imperfections.

"Beautiful.." she echoed against the soft yet toned skin. It was so different from hers. It showed everything Honoka had gone through in the past years. It unnerved Eli somewhat, to think that her Honoka might have to endure the same things.

Honoka averted her eyes as Eli continued to explore her torso. She wasn't going to argue against it but she didn't want to watch either. It was embarrassing, to have skin that was covered in scars. She flinched as she felt Eli's hands come to rest at her dark jeans, shaky fingers unbuttoning them. "What are you doing?"

Eli suddenly stopped at the accusation and surprise in Future Honoka's tone. "I-I thought I could…maybe…" Her brow furrowed in confusion. "You don't want me to?"

"It's not that, it's just…you don't have to do that." Honoka said, trying not to sound as nervous as she felt. It didn't make sense for her to be nervous. She had much more experience than Eli and yet at the same time she had never slept with anyone but Kotori. She shivered as Eli's fingers brushed against the waistband of her underwear. "Eli…"

"I want to." Eli assured her, more confident this time. She took a deep breath before she began to tug Honoka's pants down her legs, sneakily pulling her panties down with them. Curious eyes took in the scars scattered over Honoka's legs, focusing on the long jagged one that seemed to stretch halfway around her upper thigh. She paused, fingers brushing over the darker colored area of skin.

"Don't stare so much." Honoka's voice was shaky, causing Eli to look up. She was surprised to find that Future Honoka's face was deeply red. "It's ugly, I know…"

Eli shook her head ever so slightly and pushed Honoka's clothes the rest of the way off before she moved up the bed to kiss her deeply. "Nothing about you is ugly." She muttered between kisses, the words only serving to make Honoka kiss her harder. She slipped her hand between Honoka's legs, fingers rubbing against wet folds. It once again occurred to her that it must have been quite some time since Honoka had been with someone intimately.

Honoka closed her eyes, a satisfied hiss escaping her lips against Eli's. It had been a relief as she tried to concentrate on the gentle movements. It reminded her of her Kotori. Compared to Honoka, Kotori was far more careful but she'd always try to drag it out forever. Honoka let out a gentle moan, her hips moving close to the burning touch of Eli's fingers. She needed more, despite her earlier protests.

"Eli…" She groaned softly, the name feeling foreign on her lips, not because she was saying it without her usual honorific - she was used to saying Eli's name without it now - but because of the situation and the way she was saying it. She tried to block out the shame she felt as she gripped Eli tightly. "Eli, Eli…"

Eli held Honoka close and gently kissed her cheek, followed by her jaw then her neck. "I'm right here."

 _Honoka could hear someone approaching her room, had been able to hear the footsteps for a short while now. Taking her knife from the bedside table, she moved to stand next to the door, her back flat against the wall. She waited with baited breath for the door to open and the person who'd been approaching to enter before she sprung forward, tackling the person to the ground. She brought the knife down, eyes widening at the glimpse of blonde hair. Quickly, she stopped what she was doing though the knife came within a few inches of Eli's back._

 _"SHIT!" Honoka scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding at what she had almost done. The knife clattered to the ground. "S-shit, I-I didn't know it was you. I thought…"_

 _"Jumpy much?" Eli groaned as she stood up from the ground. Seemingly ignorant of the fact that Honoka had almost killed her, she walked over to her and drew her into her arms, embracing her tightly._

 _"G-Get off!" Honoka pushed Eli away by the shoulders, not giving her a chance to really linger in the embrace. She turned away, ignoring the look of shock on Eli's face. "What do you want?"_

 _"I heard that Kotori is out on a mission and I wanted to make sure you're okay." Eli said slowly, stunned by Honoka's behavior. "I thought maybe I could stay the night…"_

 _"N-No."_

 _"No?" Eli echoed, walking around Honoka in an attempt to meet her eyes. The younger girl didn't turn away from her again but she didn't look at her either. She just stood there, looking at the ground. "Why not?"_

 _"N-Nozomi is here, isn't she? Go back to her."_

 _"Um…Maki told her she has a mission. Besides, even if she was here I'd still want to stay with you. And Nozomi would want me to too." Eli took a step forward and frowned as Honoka flinched back. "What's going on, Honoka? You don't want me here?"_

 _Honoka shook her head._

 _"But I want…"_

 _"Fuck off, Eli!" Honoka snapped, finally lifting her gaze to Eli's. There were dark circles under her eyes, something Eli hadn't noticed until then. "I-I don't always need to sleep next to someone. I don't want help, e-especially not from you."_

 _"Wha…? Hey, Honoka, what…?" Eli shook her head in shock, trying to figure out why Honoka was pushing her away. She paused, having realized something. Honoka hadn't stuttered in months. It only seemed to return to a small degree when she had nightmares. "You're stuttering. And you haven't slept. How long has Kotori been gone?" She didn't get an answer from Honoka and worried, she moved over to her, grasping her arms. "Honoka! How long?!"_

 _Three days, nine hours and fourteen minutes if Honoka had worked it out correctly. "Get out!" She pushed at Eli's shoulders again. "GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!"_

 _"Hey, Honoka!" Eli halfheartedly defended herself against Honoka's repeated shoves. It seemed that the girl was trying to force her out of the door. "Hey, just…just calm…STOP!" She dodged an especially harsh looking shove and ducked behind Honoka, wrapping her arms around her from behind. Honoka sank down to the ground and took a heavy breath. She felt the other girl pull her tightly against her chest and she tried to pull away but Eli's grip was too strong. She felt herself start to relax when Eli pressed her forehead against her back right upon the spot that covered her invisible tattoo._

 _"Please tell me what's wrong…let me help, let me fix it." Eli's lips brushed softly against the thin piece of clothing Honoka wore which seemed too loose for her body. She was worried. Had Honoka eaten anything lately? "PLEASE!" She begged as she felt tears stinging her eyes._

 _Honoka closed her eyes. She hated when Eli touched that area. It was the weakest part of her body and that infuriated her. "S-Stop it! You know that's where the tattoo is…"_

 _Eli shook her head against Honoka's back. "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to calm you down."_

 _Honoka made a final effort to wrench herself free. She didn't want Eli to calm her down, she was fine the way she was. She squirmed roughly in Eli's hold until she accidentally landed an elbow to the blonde's stomach._

 _Eli cried out in pain, her grip on Honoka loosening for just a few seconds before she readjusted it again. "You'll have to hit me harder than that." She said, though her voice was clearly pained._

 _Honoka was reminded of the blow Eli had taken for her just a week ago, of the gash expanding over her ribs. It had been her fault. She had been reckless and Eli had thrown herself in front of her, taking the blow that was meant for her._

 _Eli breathed a soft sigh of relief when the fight seemed to leave Honoka and she relaxed back against her. She wouldn't have liked to take another blow from her. "That's better." She said softly, her own grip loosening. "It's alright. They're not going to take you back there again, not as long as I'm alive."_

 _Honoka shook her head, her eyes stinging with tears. "You shouldn't bother protecting me. I'm too weak to be useful to you." She wanted her to get away from her. This person was what she always became when Kotori was gone and she didn't ask for help. She becomes this useless person. Some leader she had turned out to be._

 _A mumble came from the taller girl as she continued to press close to Honoka's back, her lips and eyes dampening her sleep shirt._

 _"What?" Honoka sat up slightly straighter in surprise as she felt the tears meet her burning skin through her shirt. "Are you actually crying? You are not allowed to cry Eli-senpai! "_

 _"SHUT UP! I said you're being a fucking idiot! Are you honestly angry about something you can't control?" Eli's voice was sharp, maybe even sharper than she had intended it to be. "Like hell you're weak, you're the strongest person I know! Ask anyone. Ask Nozomi, ask Maki!"_

 _"Bullshit!" Honoka exclaimed, finally turning in Eli's embrace. "Nozomi-chan can feel everything I feel, there's no way she won't think I'm weak. And Maki-chan must think that too. She's always careful with me. I can't even let her examine me without freaking out! I'm a wreck, Eli-senpai!"_

 _Eli frowned at the mention of Honoka's recent interactions with Maki. She'd heard that there had been some kind of altercation between the two of them a couple of days ago and that Maki had been upset by it. She kicked herself for not checking on either of them sooner. She knew that while Maki liked to put up a front, it hurt her that Honoka was afraid of her._

 _"I should've been on top of this…damn it!" Eli wiped her eyes with her sleeve before fixing Honoka with a determined look. "It's not true, Honoka. You're not weak. Maki and Nozomi don't think that either. Maki knows you went through something horrible and Nozomi…she loves you just as much as I do. She couldn't think badly of you!"_

 _Honoka's lower lip trembled with emotion. "You'll get sick of it eventually. You and Nozomi-chan." She couldn't count how many times she had gone to them in the past when Kotori hadn't been there. They'd always gladly offered her comfort and a place to sleep but it didn't keep her from feeling a bit pathetic. "And Maki-chan…"_

 _"Never." Eli shook her head, a serious look on her face. "We're never going to leave you. Especially me. I'll be by your side no matter what. You know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you."_

 _Honoka's vision blurred with tears at the confident answer and she threw her arms around Eli, embracing her fiercely. She felt Eli's arms go around her in turn, holding her as she cried softly into the blonde's shoulder. She wasn't sure how long time passed but soon enough she felt Eli move. She was lifted from the floor as Eli's arm snaked beneath her knees. She heard a wince from the young woman but didn't protest as she was carried to the bed, too tired to do so._

 _The softness of the bed beneath her was a relief. She hadn't dared sleep the previous night, too worried about nightmares. The bed dipped behind her with what she knew to be Eli's weight and a moment later she felt her press close to her back, an arm going around her._

 _"I-I'm sorry." She whimpered, tears blurring her eyes as she reached down to grasp Eli's hand in front of her chest. She felt Eli shake her head against her. There was no need for apologies, there never was. Still clutching Eli's hand, she turned onto her other side and pressed close to her, tears slipping down her cheeks. She looked up at Eli though through her tears she couldn't see her clearly. Her other hand made it way to Eli's stomach, feeling for any blood. "D-Did I hurt you?"_

 _Eli smiled sadly and shook her head. "No. Not in that way."_

 _The answer only made Honoka feel worse and she gripped Eli's hand tighter. "I don't want you to leave me. I can't…I don't know what I would do without you, Kotori-chan and Nozomi-chan."_

 _"I've told you already. I'm never going to leave you." Eli used her fingers to push back bangs that clung to Honoka's damp cheeks and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "You're stuck with me no matter what."_

 _Honoka took a shuddering breath, trying to force herself to believe that. It was hard to trust people after Umi's betrayal. Umi had promised she'd never leave her and yet she'd left her in that camp to be tortured and tested upon. And she hadn't even looked back. She pressed her face into Eli's chest and clutched the back of her shirt tightly. "I love you, Eli-senpai…"_

 _Eli's stomach hurt where Honoka was pressed against her but she made no move to pull away. She wouldn't risk it. "I love you too, Honoka. So much. Just remember I'm never leaving you. I'm right here."_

Honoka clung tightly to Eli as she was pushed to her brink. Black filtered into her vision as her hips jerked into Eli's touch, pleasure washing over her. "Eli-senpai!"

Eli's eyes widened at the loud cry, her breath catching in her throat. She supposed she should have expected it. It wasn't like she wasn't thinking about someone else too. She was sure Nozomi had never left her mind since they'd started. It still hurt though. More than she could say. She pulled away, lying down flat on her back next to Honoka. It wasn't more than a few seconds before Honoka crawled atop her again. Her breathing rough, she tucked her face into Eli's neck.

Eli's arms stayed at her sides as she stared at the ceiling. Soon enough she felt her neck become wet with tears. "You loved her, didn't you?"

Honoka shook her head. "I-It's not like that. Eli-senpai was my best friend, my family. Kotori-chan is the only person I love in that way." She felt her stomach churn with guilt as she realized what she had said a few moments ago. She had just lost herself for a moment, in how safe Eli could make her feel, in her desire to be back home with her Eli again. "I wasn't lying before, Eli. I do love you. I really do. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

"Yeah?" Eli asked, her own eyes prickling with tears. "I think Nozomi loved me once too. Until she didn't." She pushed Honoka off of her and slipped out of the bed.

"Eli, don't go…" Honoka sat up, the tears that had built up in her eyes slipping down her cheeks as she watched Eli dress quickly. "Please. Come on, just stay for a few minutes. I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say it!"

Eli didn't say anything as she pulled her clothes on as quickly as she could. With a last tearful glance toward the future version of her friend, she left the room.

"ELI!"

In the shadows of the hallway, Nozomi watched, her hand gripping at her chest as Eli dashed off down the hallway. The ache she felt was intense but she wasn't sure if that was Eli's pain or her own. Or maybe their pain had combined. She walked into the hotel room, finding Honoka putting her clothes back on.

Honoka paled at seeing Nozomi walk into the room. "N-Nozomi!" She hurriedly turned away, wiping at her tears quickly. Eli had only just left, there was no way Nozomi hadn't seen her go. "Fuck…FUCK!"

Nozomi was silent as she watched Honoka struggle to get herself under control. She wasn't sure she could have spoken if she wanted to, not past the lump in her throat. Her gaze shifted and she frowned at the long scratch marks on Honoka's back. Eli was never that rough. She must have been acting out of sheer desperation.

She turned away to give the young woman some privacy as she changed her clothes. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She could feel how distraught Honoka was but at the same time she was hurt by what had happened. Eli hadn't cheated on her because they weren't together, but it still hurt. She just didn't know what to say.

"Are you going after her?" She finally asked, her voice hoarse and shaky. She chanced a glance at Honoka to make sure she'd finished changing. Finding that she had, she turned toward her.

"N-No, It would only screw everything up more … I-I'm gonna go take a shower." Honoka shuddered. She slipped past Nozomi, being careful not to touch her and made her way into the small bathroom, tears staining her cheeks.

As she slipped her clothes off, she briefly wondered why she had bothered to put them back on the first place. Modesty, she supposed, though after taking advantage of Eli it wasn't like she had much dignity left.

She climbed into the shower, turning in on to the highest temperature possible. Somehow it only reminded her more of the future. Her Eli couldn't stand showering in lukewarm water. It always had to be boiling hot. Her Nozomi had once complained that there was no way they could shower together because she couldn't take the heat.

Honoka gritted her teeth against the memory and began to scrub at her skin, trying to get Eli's scent off of her. She hadn't just taken advantage of Eli and hurt her more than she already was, she was betraying Kotori. Her Kotori and her Eli. She'd promised Kotori that there would never be anyone else and Kotori had said the same thing. But she'd betrayed that. "Dammit!"

She struck out, hitting the shower's cement wall with her hand. The pain helped her to calm down but not much. She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply through her nose. She should have known better, she should have seen how much Eli was hurting and turned her away. She was a fool, she'd let her emotions and Eli's advances cloud her better judgement.

She stood there for a few minutes, wracked with guilt before she finally emerged from the shower. She dried off quickly before changing into the clothes she slept in. All she wanted was to climb into bed and forget about everything that had happened over the past few hours, the past month in fact. Upon slipping out of the bathroom she was surprised to find Nozomi still there, lying on the right side of the bed where she'd slept for the past week. She was facing away from her so Honoka couldn't see her face.

"Y-You're still here."

Nozomi had a vague noise in response to let Honoka know that she was still awake. "The pillow smells like her shampoo." Her voice was thick with emotion as she spoke and it hit Honoka like a punch to the gut. "And the sheets smell like the perfume she likes to wear sometimes…"

Honoka didn't know what to say. "Nozomi, I-I…"

"I heard what she said." Nozomi didn't turn to face Honoka as she clenched the cool fabric of the sheets in her hand. "Earlier. 'I think Nozomi loved me once too'." She gave a bark of laughter but it was bitter and strained, full of tears. "Can you believe that? Like I just stopped or something, like it's not killing me for us to be apart like this. I still love her. How could I not? At least she still has you though, right?"

Honoka's legs shook beneath her. She felt sick about what she'd done. She should have pushed Eli away, no matter how much it would have hurt the younger version of her best friend. She shouldn't have given into her own weakness. "Nozomi…" She moved around the bed to Nozomi's side, dropping to her knees before her. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have…I should have told her to leave. I should have stopped her. And myself. E-Even if not for her, for you. For Kotori-chan." She bowed her head, tears spilling down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly. "Fuck…"

Nozomi watched silently through tear filled eyes, her hand still grasping at the sheets beneath her. She was hurt by what Eli and Future Honoka had done but it wasn't like she had a right to be angry. Eli wasn't her girlfriend anymore. Eli thought that Nozomi didn't love her. She hadn't done what she had done to hurt her. She thought Nozomi wouldn't care either way.

"Why aren't you saying anything?!" Honoka looked up suddenly, her words choked as she looked at Nozomi. "Yell at me, I deserve it. Hell, y-you should slap me! I'll let you do it, just…" she trailed off when Nozomi merely stared at her. "Please, Nozomi, say something, I-I…"

Nozomi sniffled softly, the first sound she had made since Honoka had started talking. Letting go of the sheets, she reached down and grasped Honoka's hand before shuffling back on the bed.

Even in her emotional state, Honoka got the hint and stood up, allowing herself to be tugged onto the bed next to Nozomi.

"W-What…?"

Nozomi pressed close to Honoka and wrapped her arms tightly around her. "I'm not going to hurt you." She mumbled into Honoka's shoulder. How could she when she felt the pain and loss Honoka was feeling? "You gave her what she needed, even if you only ended up hurting each other more."

Honoka didn't dare move or even breathe for a moment, sure that Nozomi was going to say something else after. She gently pushed Nozomi away, staring at her in shock. "W-What's wrong with you? You should hate me! Look at what I did, I just had sex with the girl you love!"

Nozomi flinched at the statement but she didn't seem angry. She wasn't, with either of them, she was just hurt. And slightly betrayed by Honoka's actions.

"W-Why are you like this?!" Honoka's voice was growing louder by the second. "Why can't you just be a little bit selfish for ONCE?!"

"Why can't you?" Nozomi countered, turning her head to wipe her damp eyes on her shirt. "Why can't you think more about your own life than other people's? You don't think I know that you gave yourself over to Elichi because she wanted it… _needed_ it more than you did? I know she's not the Eli you really want!"

She could feel it, how much Future Honoka missed the Eli from her own time. She could feel how much she missed everyone. There were times when Honoka looked at Kotori and Nozomi felt like her heart was being torn right from her chest. When Honoka looked at her and Eli on the other hand, she could easily feel the longing and loneliness the young woman tried to hide.

"I am being selfish." Nozomi confessed, reaching up to wipe Honoka's tears with shaky fingers. "I need this just as much as you do. You're the only friend I have right now, Senpai. Everyone else hates me. I broke Elichi's heart and Kotori-chan is afraid of me! So please, stop asking me to hurt you and…" She trailed off, her voice breaking though thankfully that seemed to be all she needed to say as Honoka moved back to her, embracing her tightly.

"We'll get A-An… _her_ …We'll get her and reveal her power. I promise!" Honoka said shakily, her fingers tightly gripping the back of Nozomi's shirt. "I won't let you lose Eli. Not again."

Nozomi inhaled sharply as pain shot through her chest. It wasn't hers, she knew. It was Honoka's. She held her tighter and tried to push back more tears.


End file.
